BH6: Behind the Fire
by yeoweij
Summary: Tadashi died, or so it seems. Hiro is just starting to move on with his life at SFIT when he suddenly receives a call from the police, informing that Callaghan wants to see him. He eventually agrees, expecting nothing but the worst from his former foe. In truth, however, he is unprepared for what truly lies ahead...and behind the entire saga all along.
1. Prologue: Tearing Skies

Prologue

-Tearing Skies-

That day was perhaps the gloomiest one the man would ever have in his life.

He saw the once clear skies being covered up by dull grey clouds that boomed loudly with thunder, shrouding the bay beneath in darkness, while he quietly crept through an eerily lifeless forest whose trees danced violently in the wind.

In spite of that, the man remained undaunted. He continued to creep softly as his chestnut-brown eyes searched the surroundings hurriedly for a place where he could witness the event he had come for without being seen.

He would eventually spy upon a particular tree that stood at the edge of the forest and yet not far from where the event was supposedly held. With quiet haste, he made his way towards it, making sure to hide his tall and slightly muscular frame behind its thick trunk, before peering at the graves a few metres away.

Then a dreadfully sombre scene unfolded before him: a group of people dressed in black had gathered in front of a flat gravestone, their faces written with sorrow and grief, as they began to make their prayers for the deceased.

The man searched the group for familiar faces.

_Where are they_, he thought. _There's no way they won't attend this! They've to be there!_

He continued to look through the sea of faces anxiously until he finally found a teenage boy whose shoulders were drooped in depression as he stared fixedly at the gravestone, and a grown woman beside who hung her arm around him while she silently grieved her loss.

_Hiro…Aunt Cass…_The man wanted to call out to them before he restrained himself, aware of the consequences he would face if he were to do so. Clicking his tongue in anger, he then watched them place a bouquet of roses in front of the gravestone while his heart sank in guilt.

_They don't deserve to go through this!_ The man silently vented his frustration, his broad eyebrows furrowing sadly as he placed his hand at the centre of his wide chest where his heart lay. _They just don't deserve to suffer like this._

_If only they knew that wasn't me..._

Lightning suddenly cracked across the sky, prompting everyone gathering at the gravestone to open up their black umbrellas as they continued to mourn amidst an arriving torrent of rain.

The man, however, turned around and began to stride lightly towards the forest; he had not much time left. He then made a prayer to himself, hoping to meet them again in the future, as he tried his best to hold back his tears that stung of sadness.

-End of Prologue-

* * *

Author's Notes: This story is currently being rewritten. Please see Notes (latest chapter).


	2. Chapter 1: Growing Over

Chapter One

-Growing Over-

Before Hiro realised, the entire day had nearly passed in a flash. Gone were the large lecture halls where he had sat in for hours listening to his professors' droning over some trigonometric graphs; instead he was now seated in the dining room of his home, basking in solitude while eagerly waiting for a delicious dinner prepared by his aunt.

"Dinner's up!" The bubbly woman announced as she bobbed out from the kitchen, "Here we have a healthy Caesar's salad, savoury beef stew and our favourite spicy chicken wings!"

"Sweet! Thanks Aunt Cass!" Hiro exclaimed before tucking into the spread laid in front of him.

Aunt Cass simply smiled, "It's alright, sweet-heart! How's college today?"

"Meh. We had engineering mathematics and industrial automation. Lectures were boring as usual," Hiro began, "but lab sessions were fun! We are also going to start on our independent projects soon! I was thinking of creating something that can dive underneath to map the ocean floor and explore-"

"Alright, young man, you have to save your talking for now if you don't want your stew to turn cold!" Aunt Cass playfully reminded him, her lime-green eyes having noticed the untouched spoon of thick brown gravy held by the boy's nimble fingers.

Hiro then quickly slipped it into his mouth, slowly chewing a thick chunk of beef, before resuming his conversation excitedly.

"And explore marine flora and fauna since the world hasn't managed to study them in detail. Moreover, it can also help with investigations of maritime disasters by examining shipwrecks!"

"Sounds like another of your brilliant ideas, Hiro! I'm really glad that you are enjoying yourself at school," Aunt Cass remarked while taking a sip from her cup. "At least you are now learning and having fun with people who think the same way as you."

"Intellectually, yes," Hiro corrected her with a smirk.

"Oh right, how can I forget that you're still 14, Hiro?" Aunt Cass laughed before her instincts sensed a difference in Hiro as her eyes began to study his features.

_Did he grow a bit taller? _She wondered, recollecting her memories of his physical appearance. _His voice seemed to deepen too, though only slightly._

But there seemed to be something else that has changed in Hiro as well.

Aunt Cass proceeded to gaze at her own reflection on the pale-orange surface of her Darjeeling tea. She searched her mind for answers before she finally realised that Hiro had become much happier than he was during the few weeks after Tadashi's passing more than a month ago.

_Perhaps he had finally gotten over it, _she reasoned. Her petite lips then began to curve warmly as she heaved a silent sigh of relief in her heart.

She had always been worried about Hiro's feelings, having imagined how emotionally terrifying and painful his brother's death would be to him. Seeing now that Hiro was happy and moving on with his life, Aunt Cass could not help but feel liberated of a great, guilt-driven burden.

"What's bothering you, Aunt Cass?" Aunt Cass quickly lifted her head up to see a concerned Hiro staring at her.

"Oh, nothing at all! Just spacing out, hehehe!" She shook her head with a sheepish grin before commenting, "Haven't you grown taller, Hiro?"

"I have?" Hiro raised his eyebrows in surprise and disbelief, "I don't know, though Honey Lemon did comment on that today."

"Oh right! How are they doing?" Aunt Cass snapped her fingers upon remembering Tadashi's friends.

"They are doing pretty fine, and maybe being a little stressed since their project deadlines are nearing," Hiro casually dug his fork into a crunchy piece of lettuce as he chuckled to himself. "Wasabi nearly freaked out today because he was _an hour_ behind schedule while the rest were occupied with their work, so we didn't hang out today."

"Ah, I understand. I used to be very stressed when I did my projects decades ago," Aunt Cass fondly recounted her memories of college life. "In fact, I think I nearly ate my project!"

Hiro returned a disapproving look, "That stress-eating is going to land you in trouble one day, Aunt Cass."

"Well, I can't help it, but you can't deny it beats downing alcohol or taking pills!" Aunt Cass shrugged her shoulders in defence, "That reminds me that I need extra hands this Sunday!"

"And in what way does alcohol and pills remind you of that?" Hiro shot another of his infamous smug faces. To which Aunt Cass rolled her eyes in annoyance, "Come on, it's just a random thought, Hiro!"

"Well, you're _not_ young either, and you still have yet to get a boy-Ouch ouch! Okay, I'm sorry!" The boy pleaded as Aunt Cass pulled his left ear over the dining table before she relented and retreated back to her seat.

"Well, I was intending to ask if _you_ are free to help this Sunday!" The woman folded her slender arms across her chest with her fuming eyes narrowed on Hiro who was still massaging his hot-red ear.

The boy managed a weak grin, "Sure, I have nothing to do anyway."

"Then help yourself to a donut, sweet-heart," Aunt Cass leaned over to give a little peck on his forehead in appreciation before with a gleeful leap, she made her way towards the café with her plate of dinner and her frizzy brown hair softly patting her neck as she hummed a melodious tune to herself.

"I will be at the café to do some accounting!" Her voice rang from below, "If you need anything, just come down and ask me, okay?"

"Sure, Aunt Cass!" Hiro returned before sinking his teeth into the soft, juicy meat of a chicken wing. A burning sensation on his tongue then followed, prompting Hiro to make a frantic leap as he desperately searched for water to cool off the piercing heat.

-End of Chapter One-


	3. Chapter 2: Deep Breath

Chapter Two

-Deep Breath-

After what seemed to be a raging inferno that had left his tongue numbed, Hiro finally fell into the comfortable embrace of his bed. He buried his face into his plush pillow as he let his weariness seep through the thin white sheets. After which, he turned his scrawny figure around to breathe in the crisp evening air before he opened his almond-shaped eyes to trace the edges on the ceiling, which led towards an empty bed at a corner of his bedroom.

That bed used to be Tadashi's.

Hiro buried his face into his pillow again; he suddenly felt his heart sinking a little deeper as loneliness slowly enveloped his soul.

Memories of Tadashi began to play in his mind; he remembered the nights when they would tease each other over their silly habits and thoughts, compete with each other in almost anything for fun, share secrets and listen wholeheartedly to each other's problems here in this room. They would make up rules for themselves, four hundred and fifty-something if he could recall, and they promised that they would always be there for each other as family, brothers, and best friends forever.

_Forever_… the word repeated itself as if to mock their child-like naivety they used to possess when they made the promise, one that was now no longer possible.

Hiro made a small groan of despair at the realisation that he could never get over his brother's death completely while unwittingly triggering the inflation of a white balloon-like object, which gradually raised itself into a tall and fat humanoid figure. The figure then rotated its head, its black spherical 'eyes' staring at the spiky-haired boy in apparent concern, before it carefully nipped its way towards him.

"Hello Hiro," the robot greeted amicably in its synthesized voice, "I have heard a sound of distress. What seems to be the problem?"

"Hi, Baymax, everything's fine," Hiro rose with a weak smile. "I'm just feeling a little down."

The robot quickly assessed the boy's state before handing down its verdict, "It is normal to experience negative emotions when you are trying to cope with a loss, Hiro. I shall administer a treatment to you."

"It's alright, Baymax. I can handle it," Hiro gently waved off its help. Baymax, however, remained determined to help him and went on to extend its plush arms.

"It is alright to hug when you are experiencing negative emotions," the robot assured him. "Hugging releases endorphins, which will improve your emotional state by blocking any feelings of pain and thus making you feel happy."

"Really, Baymax, it's just…" Hiro began to whine in protest before he was interrupted by an insistent Baymax.

"You must not suffer," the robot leaned closely towards him. "It is my duty to help and treat you as your personal healthcare companion."

Upon hearing these words, Hiro shifted his sight towards Baymax. He urged his mouth to speak in disagreement, but to his astonishment, he found himself struggling and managed to croak only a barely audible "please". He then tried to move himself away from the robot, but his body disobeyed him.

Baymax had reminded him of Tadashi, not because of the fact that it was his brother's creation, but because it spoke and behaved in a way that strangely resembled Tadashi's: Tadashi would always help and care for Hiro as best as he could, even if it meant insisting against the latter's will.

And Baymax did just that.

Hiro rubbed his teary eyes, angrily cursing them for defying his pleas, before he felt Baymax embracing him warmly.

"Take a deep breath," Baymax advised. "It will help to calm you down."

Hiro heeded his advice, his narrow chest expanding slowly as he breathed deeply. He then closed his eyes, allowing the comfort of Baymax's embrace to restore peace to his saddened soul.

"There, there…" The robot began after a few quiet moments, patting his head softly, "How are you feeling now?"

"I feel better…" The boy admitted before he looked up at Baymax with a small grateful smile worn on his thin lips, "Thanks, Baymax. You have really been a great help to me."

"There is no need to thank me. It is my duty to help you," Baymax reiterated its obligation, to which Hiro simply nodded in acknowledgement.

"So are you satisfied with—"

"Hiro! There's someone calling for you!"

Baymax's question was suddenly interrupted by Aunt Cass's voice, which resonated throughout the house with a familiar tinge of urgency.

Having adapted to his aunt's constant calls for help since his childhood, Hiro instinctively leapt out of bed, returned a usual "Give me a second, Aunt Cass!" and made a quick promise to a curious Baymax that he will return soon before rushing out of his bedroom.

As he descended hurriedly down a flight of stairs, he caught sight of a frowning Aunt Cass leaning against the cream-coloured walls beside the phone. Hiro then lightened his footsteps in deliberation, causing soft creaks to fill the air instead of the earlier thunderous stomps.

"Who's on the phone?"

Aunt Cass's knitted eyebrows eased a little as she turned to a cautious Hiro. She placed both of her hands on his shoulders endearingly and whispered in his ear, "It's the police. They wish to speak to you."

It took a moment for Hiro to register her words until Aunt Cass's concerned face shook his blank mind back into reality.

_Oh damn it, Hiro! _He face-palmed himself in embarrassment, _Of course you have to answer the phone! You shouldn't have anything to worry about, right? __  
_

He proceeded to walk past a confused Aunt Cass and hesitated for a moment before he decidedly brought the phone to his ears. He then took a deep breath and began nervously.

"Hi, Hiro Hamada here."

"Good evening, Mr Hamada, we're sorry to disturb you," a policewoman greeted him sincerely. "We would like to let you know that one of our inmates would like to speak to you."

"May I know his or her name, Madam?" Hiro enquired, intrigued by the request.

A brief silence followed, causing Hiro to feel greatly unsettled, before the policewoman revealed the person he had last expected to hear from.

"His name is Robert Callaghan."

-End of Chapter Two-


	4. Chapter 3: Grey Wall

Chapter Three

-Grey Wall-

Despite a chilling night breeze brushing against his cheek, Hiro could feel the air suddenly warming up intensely.

His nose then breathed in a dreadfully familiar odour of burning debris, prompting him to turn around immediately to witness hordes of people screaming in horror as they flee from a building consumed by flames.

However, Hiro was not seized by fear upon the sight and did not pick up his legs to escape to safety. On the contrary, he began to sprint as fast as he could towards the building, determined to find Tadashi before harm could reach him.

It then took him a few minutes of anxious search before he finally found his big brother comforting a panicking woman near the mouth of the staircase, upon which he froze on the spot. His eyes widened in apprehension as memories of that fateful mind began to flash in his terrified mind.

He knew too well how this scene will lead to the next.

Taking a quick breath, he momentarily invited darkness to shroud his sight, finding comfort in its serene embrace, as he tried to muster his strength to hopefully change the flow of events for a better end.

_This is it…_Hiro thought. _Perhaps this time, I could change everything._

He then opened his eyes in time to see a gravely worried Tadashi turning around to dash into the blazing site, causing him to let out a desperate scream as his fear reawakened once more.

"Tadashi! No!"

The young man would momentarily stumble upon hearing his name and turn around to see his little brother rushing over to embrace him tightly.

"What's the matter, Hiro?" Hiro imagined Tadashi's husky voice asking in concern. He then relaxed his grip and blurted his feelings in a shaky burst of breath, "Tadashi, please! Please don't go! Stay with us!"

Tadashi could only afford a weak smile in return, "But Hiro…Callaghan is in there, someone has to help."

The man then turned around again to brave himself for a fiery run while remaining unaware of how his words have nearly extinguished the small flicker of hope in Hiro's heart. Nevertheless, Hiro refused to give up. In a last defiant move, he managed a weak clutch on Tadashi's cardigan.

"Please….Tadashi…" Hiro cried, "Professor Callaghan will make it out alive…trust me. Please don't go…"

Despite the heartfelt pleas, the man did not reply. Instead, he merely pulled his cardigan away from Hiro's trembling fingers and shot back a furious glare that caused his little brother to writhe in fear.

"Stop being so selfish, Hiro," Tadashi muttered in disgust before he turned his back once again.

Hiro's knees would immediately give way and hit the granite landings painfully as he tried to recover from the devastating blow Tadashi's words had dealt on him. He went on to bite his tongue to stifle a painful groan and try to crawl his way to reach the human figure that would rapidly disappear into the hungry orange flames.

"Tadashi…" Hiro sobbed hopelessly, "Tadashi!"

As soon as the name escaped from his quivering lips, a sudden flash of light blinded Hiro, forcing him to shut his eyes in protection. A powerful force then swept his body across the staircase while hurling shards of shattered glass in every direction. A deafening explosion soon followed, triggering a painful ringing sensation in the boy's ears.

Finally, after the last of the flames died down, silence descended upon the scene. Hiro would force open his eyes and expect himself to be staring helplessly at the smouldering ruins where his brother's charred corpse laid in.

He, however, did not expect to be confronted with a rather calm Saturday afternoon, travelling in a police car on a busy motorway towards their destination where the meeting would be held at.

"Are you alright, young man?" A police officer turned behind to take a brief check on Hiro. Upon noticing his dazed face and sweat-stained clothes, he extended his hand to offer a piece of candy with a kind smile, "Take this. It should help you freshen up from your sleep."

"Thank you, Sir." Hiro mumbled softly before popping it into his mouth. He would chew it indifferently while craning his neck over to the window to see the towering skyscrapers of the hilly San Fransokyo long replaced by a quiet and flat suburban city of San Rayama.

_A horrible Saturday indeed…_ Hiro wearily slumped back into his seat.

He recounted that he had not slept well the night before, his mind having been too troubled and curious towards the oddly sudden request. He did not have breakfast as well, his anxiety having caused a loss of appetite, despite Aunt Cass's efforts to encourage him. The police car that had arrived to pick him up had done no better for it only reminded Hiro of his misadventures with Tadashi in illegal bot-fighting barely two months ago. And now, with that nightmare returning to haunt him…

_It's all because of him…_Hiro sighed in frustration before the police car pulled over, drawing his attention back to reality.

"Here we are," the police officer announced, pulling the door open. "Welcome to San Quenara State Prison."

The boy hesitated for a moment before he stepped out into the glaring sunlight and stared at the white medieval-styled building that towered proudly over the swaying birch trees on its front yard.

_It doesn't look bad…for a prison_. Hiro frankly remarked in his mind as he was escorted towards the building where he would register his particulars in front of a young clerk, who greeted him with a sympathetic smile. Following which, he was accompanied by two stern-looking armed guards down a long corridor until they reached the designated room. There, Hiro would seat himself onto a thinly-cushioned seat, waiting for the dreaded arrival of his former foe.

As his eyes stared listlessly at the grey wall across the table in wait, Hiro could not help but ponder again over the questions he had raised in suspicion about the reasons behind this meeting the night before.

_Why did he suddenly want to meet me? What is he going to tell me? Is he trying to seek forgiveness—or to exact revenge for his imprisonment?_

Hiro spent the next fifteen minutes tapping on his prodigious mind to race through a nearly exhaustive list of possibilities for answers while he grew increasingly impatient as each minute passed, knowing fully well that his questions can only be answered when he arrives.

"Come in." The long-awaited command finally came, causing Hiro to turn around swiftly to confront his mentor-turned-enemy.

At first, he could only figure out a tall man whose stocky build was poorly hidden by his orange uniform that glowed brightly in dim light.

Then, as the man stepped closer, his vision sharpened on the man's wrinkled face in scrutiny, moving from the grey stubble that grew along his stiff lower jaw to his cracked thin lips that lay beneath a large nose. He would eventually meet the man's baby blue eyes, which seemed tired and afraid from a life behind bars.

Hiro then stared at them coldly while the man slowly dragged the chair to rest his ageing body on it, struggling to avoid even a glance at the boy throughout.

"You have sixty minutes as requested, no more than that," A guard firmly reminded before closing the door to leave them in apparent privacy, save for a security camera studying their movements carefully from a corner of the room.

Then silence came.

For a minute or two, neither of them muttered a word: the very sight of Callaghan had made Hiro too vexed to waste a breath on the poor creature, who continued to stare down at the table in shame until with little courage, he mumbled.

"Tadashi's alive."

Silence continued to prevail in the room. Callaghan thought he mumbled too softly for the boy to hear, so he took a breath before repeating the words clearly and loudly enough.

"Tadashi's alive—"

"So you asked me to come all the way down here so that you can tell me that?" Hiro suddenly interrupted, "So that you can try to make me forget about his death? NO! Instead, you are making me remember how he had died in vain because he thought he could save you when he was instead killed by a stinking explosion that was set by you for your selfish plans!"

"Listen!" Callaghan shouted, silencing the clearly agitated boy. He then cleared his throat as he cast his eyes on Hiro, seeking for forgiveness.

"I am sorry for what I did," he apologised.

"Whatever. I'm out of here," Hiro was prepared to leave, not wanting to hear another word lest his vengeful fury takes over his heart.

Desperate, Callaghan quickly confessed, "I wanted to tell you this because I thought there was no better way to express my gratitude to you. For saving my daughter."

"Wow, thanks," Hiro replied sarcastically. "So I assume the body resting under my brother's gravestone is a dummy?"

Callaghan looked at him earnestly, "Yes, you are right."

Hiro eyed him suspiciously for a moment; he could not deny that there was an unmistakable ring of sincerity in his voice. Reluctantly, he sat himself back on the chair and returned a serious expression to the relieved Callaghan.

"Tell me what happened that night," Hiro finally began, "and everything you did with Tadashi afterwards."

-End of Chapter Three-


	5. Chapter 4: Loss

Chapter Four

-Loss-

_Everything was perfect._

Callaghan smirked to himself as he watched from a corner the last of the crowd dispersing quickly in panic, their horrified screams piercing the hot air as flames began to devour everything in the hall.

He had spent a month planning meticulously and took great pains to ensure that everything was in place for this moment. For instance, he had arranged for the stage to be placed at the back instead of the centre of the hall, reasoning that it would be easier for participants to move and prepare their entries for showcase. Whereas in reality, it would grant him enough time to steal an entry of his choice and escape quickly before the fire could burn him to ashes.

He had also planned the layout of the exhibition, ensuring that the more combustible entries are placed at the middle row out of 'concern' for possible fire hazards while knowing that their central location would make it easier to destroy everything—and every possible trace of his theft in a devastating explosion.

And finally, to cement the impression that he was a victim of an unfortunate incident, Callaghan had prepared a life-like dummy and slipped it underneath one of the exhibits.

But these were just parts of the foundation; the finishing touch came in the form of Hiro's microbots, in which their seemingly fragile sizes hid a tremendous capacity of versatility capable of outmatching even the most advanced piece of technology available.

Callaghan could not have been happier; in fact he was honestly impressed with Hiro's showcase, and had agreed with the rest of the judges that the young prodigy rightfully deserves a place in the prestigious Robotics Programme. He had also agreed from within that the microbots could offer him a real chance at last, to fulfil his quest for revenge against the man responsible for his only daughter's death.

Callaghan's heart indulged in momentary relief as he recalled how he managed to convince Hiro to not sell away his microbots—and possibly his only solution—to the same man who smelled of money, arrogance, and apparent superiority.

_Alistair Krei…_The mere thought of the man's name caused Callaghan's aged fists to tighten in fury, and returned his mind back to reality as he resolved to complete his plan.

He proceeded to take another glance at the blazing scene, and upon finding it vacated, he sprinted hurriedly to the stage where he would search thoroughly through a chaotic mess of tumbled boxes and broken compartments for the neurotransmitter, a device that can control the microbots to one's will.

His efforts eventually led him to find the white sleek band safely tucked away in a stray box from which, with a triumphant grin, Callaghan quickly seized the device and began to place it carefully on his head.

Almost immediately, black swarms of microbots began to rush towards his position with a loud rustle and proceeded to rapidly construct a thick spherical barrier around him to his will before a string of violent explosions began to erupt throughout the ravaged hall.

Callaghan then waited patiently for the explosions to subside, his body sweating from immense heat in the meantime, before he finally commanded the microbots to drop the barrier and turned around to inspect the remains.

As he did so, however, something caught his attention.

It was a body sprawled on the soot-covered floor behind him, a blood-caked one whose numerous burns and swelling blisters were barely hidden by the tattered remains of its clothes.

Callaghan looked at it with curiosity. He quickly commanded the bots to bring the body over for a closer look. Then, he grasped the slightly charred skin and slowly lifted its heavy head upwards to reveal a face that would cause his eyes to widen in sheer horror.

It was Tadashi Hamada, his brightest and closest student.

Callaghan rushed to feel the young man's pulse. He could feel it beating rhythmically albeit weakly with life.

_No doubt, he's unconscious but still alive…_Callaghan concluded before he realised how much trouble this might cause for him. Tadashi could have seen his actions and if left alive, he might inform the authorities about them, which would spell the end of Callaghan's quest.

_No, that will never happen! _The man's forehead wrinkled angrily at the prospect. _Alistair Krei must be brought to justice. He must pay for his actions for recklessly taking away my daughter…_

Callaghan turned to stare at Tadashi. It was clear that the latter had to be taken out no matter what. He then willed the microbots to swarm around the body, intending to crush and then toss it into the burning debris.

Yet just as he was about to make the killing move, he suddenly felt a sharp stab of guilt in his chest. Against the strong urge in his mind to exact revenge even at the expense of others, his heart cried out for mercy, for the sake of his already tainted moral integrity and his close relationship with Tadashi.

Callaghan hesitated. For the first time since his daughter's death, he struggled to devote himself to his cause as his conscience momentarily overwhelmed him.

It would take a few moments before Callaghan eventually regained his composure and decidedly head for the exit with the microbots following behind, and with Tadashi in his arms.

-End of Chapter Four-


	6. Chapter 5: Condition

Chapter Five

-Condition-

Tadashi slowly opened his eyes to gaze at the dusty ceiling above as a faint ray of light restored his once blurry vision. His body then felt itself slumped tiredly against a barely comfortable couch, to which the man blinked in confusion.

_What happened? _Tadashi wondered, lifting his arms to stretch himself, before a sharp pain suddenly struck him, prompting a loud groan to escape from his chapped lips.

_It hurts! It freaking hurts! _His mind screamed as his teeth gritted against each other to resist the terrible sensation searing through his muscles. Following which, he proceeded to move his arms cautiously into his level of sight for a closer examination, only to discover them wrapped thoroughly in layers of bandage to his bewilderment.

_What exactly on earth happened?! _Tadashi tried to recall his memories in vain as he quickly rose from his position in panic, braving another wave of crushing pain in the midst. He looked down onto himself to find his body similarly bandaged from his broad chest towards his waist, and appearing slightly burnt.

Utterly baffled, Tadashi tried to collect himself, placing his hand over his face to realise that he stank a little of smoke, a stench that strangely seemed familiar to his senses. He turned to stare at his surroundings, and upon finding them unlike what he remembered of his own and his friends' houses, he immediately deduced that he was rescued by someone else from an accident that probably involved fire.

_Wait a minute…a fire?_

The last two words caused a vague recollection to flash in front of Tadashi's eyes, causing him to reel back in shock as he remembered how he had insanely ran into a burning hall to save Professor Callaghan while leaving a shaken Hiro behind.

Tadashi would go on to face-palm himself in embarrassment. He admitted that he had been reckless, trying to save someone without sparing a thought for his own and loved ones. He could have died, and if he did, it would have caused consequences too terrifying for him to even begin with.

It then hit him that his family and friends could not have known that he was fine and alive somewhere else, and thus assumed he was dead. Tadashi shuddered at the thought. He must reach them as fast as possible and tell them that he was alright.

Setting his sight on a telephone a few meters away, Tadashi attempted to work his weak legs, eventually managing to gain a feeble footing on the concrete floor while stifling a sore pain in return. He would continue to spend the next few minutes trying to get to his destination at a painfully slow pace until a raspy voice sounded from behind, "Where do you think you are going to?"

Tadashi turned to see Callaghan watching him intently from a flight of stairs behind the couch.

"Professor Callaghan, you're alive!" His eyes immediately brightened in surprise before they darkened in question, "How did you…"

His words trailed off in the presence of growing discomfort and suspicion before another flood of memories rushed into his mind, rendering him at loss as he gradually recalled the accident: after entering the hall, he had spent a second orientating himself to the fiery destruction in front of his eyes before he dashed past all the exhibits towards the stage.

And there he saw Callaghan stealing the neurotransmitter.

Afterwards, all he could remember was a loud explosion that momentarily shattered his ears, bright flames embracing him, and a strong force flinging his body into the air with other burning debris before something apparently collided onto his head and rendered him unconscious.

What struck him was not the question though; seeing Callaghan _stealing_ his brother's creation first-hand was.

"Looks like you have seen something you shouldn't have."

Tadashi was distracted from his thoughts back to reality as the middle-aged professor hid a frown behind his curious gaze. He stared back at him in doubt.

"Did you…actually steal Hiro's microbots?" The young man immediately bit his tongue in regret after blurting his thoughts out. _Too late, he had revealed too much!_

Callaghan, however, let out a maniacal laughter at the sight in apparent amusement, causing an unsettling shiver to travel down Tadashi's spine, before his eyes narrowed on his student balefully, "Yes, you are right. I did steal your brother's creation."

He proceeded to walk down the staircase slowly, the metallic echo of each step seemingly taunting Tadashi into madness, until he reached the bottom where he held up a first-aid box to Tadashi's notice and spoke in a superficially gentle tone, "Now why don't you get back to the couch, so that I can treat your wounds, Mr Hamada?"

Tadashi gulped nervously and tried to distance himself, but his legs refused to budge as if rooted to the floor in fear. A menacing smile then played on Callaghan's lips as he placed the box at a corner table beside the couch and approached the helpless student.

"Lean on my shoulder," Callaghan offered his shoulder, to which a reluctant Tadashi accepted. He then slowly led the hobbling latter to lie on a couch.

After which, having dragged a metal chair across to sit on, the professor went on to unwrap the bandage on Tadashi's right arm to reveal a badly scorched epidermis where randomly-placed blisters swelled alongside with white blotches of fresh skin unveiling beneath the charred layer.

"Be grateful for the medical advances," Callaghan commented as he dipped a piece of gauze into a brown bottle of ointment with tweezers. "Your burns wouldn't have healed this fast if it were to be a decade ago."

"How many days has it been?" Tadashi eyed the gauze carefully.

"Two days," came the reply, which triggered panic within his heart as Tadashi struggled to swallow the fact that he had been missing for two days.

He mumbled softly, "They must have been worried sick! I've got to tell them that—"

"That you have seen a renowned professor stealing your little brother's microbots?" Callaghan interjected, "I don't think that will be possible for you though."

"But I can't let them think that I'm dead! Aunt Cass will be dreadfully stressed and Hiro will be…_simply_ devastated." The angst that grew with Tadashi's protest gradually died at the sheer thought of the possibly traumatic consequences his disappearance will bear on Hiro.

Callaghan, however, returned a cold stare, "And I can't let you stop my plans. You have simply seen too _much_ that night."

"But-!"

"Don't argue back, young man!" Callaghan's voice tinged with frustration, warning his younger counterpart to withhold his dissent.

He then allowed a moment of silence to settle in, after which he spoke at a deliberately slow pace for Tadashi to grasp the emphasis of his following message, "As a matter of fact, you might want to realise how lucky you are to be alive at this moment, Tadashi. I could have chose to let you be burnt, crushed, or even killed by me, if not for conscience's sake."

Tadashi could only gasp as his eyes widened in horror at his words.

He was now fully convinced that the elder man was no longer the caring and inspirational professor he knew back at the institute. However, at the same time, he had never expected him to be a cold and possibly insane man who had no qualms about killing someone to pursue his goals.

Tadashi agreed from within that he was indeed lucky to have been spared alive by such a dangerous person, and he knew in his right mind that only a fool would try to resist directly against a man like him.

He then decided on another approach: he would try to talk his way out.

"What are you intending to do with Hiro's microbots?" Tadashi breathed anxiously, hoping to shift their attention elsewhere, before he shut his eyes tightly to contain an excruciating pain as Callaghan pressed the gauze onto his wound.

The latter's eyes gleamed sadistically, "What do you think?"

"Are you going to…use them to kill someone?" The young man gave a wide-eyed stare before he shut his eyes again, his throat trying to stifle a tortured groan in increasing vain as Callaghan increased his pressure on the former's wounds.

"Looks like your brilliant mind is still intact from the accident, Mr Hamada, but unfortunately that wasn't the answer," the professor's eyebrows furrowed in pretentious pity. "I was intending to use them to steal something equally precious from a man who stole everything I had in my life…"

"Everything? But you had—Argh!"

"Wealth? Knowledge? Reputation?" Callaghan mocked bitterly, "True, I may have everything a man could wish for, but none of them can compare to the person whom you loved dearly…whom you had nurtured wholeheartedly throughout your entire life, only to lose her at the end to a stupid, reckless man who would do anything to feed his own ambitions!"

"You meant…Abigail?" Tadashi weakly replied, "I thought she died in an accident."

"Indeed it would have been an 'accident' if Alistair Krei had truly not known the risks," Callaghan muttered under his breath.

Tadashi was now completely lost.

For one, he knew that the suave CEO of Krei Tech was infamous for his ethically 'relaxed' approach, having openly believed it to be necessary for technological advancements. But to the point of killing someone, or more specifically, Professor Callaghan's daughter?

_What exactly went wrong? How did they even come to be involved in the first place?!_

Tadashi could no longer take in the harsh reality as the world around him shattered to pieces to reveal its twisted nature. He really wished for this to be a nightmare, and he desperately wanted to truly open his eyes to find himself lying on his bed, awake to Hiro's loud snores instead.

Yet his hopes would crumble in front of him as an unbearable pain seared through his arm once more, causing Tadashi to burst forth a scream that would echo throughout the empty warehouse.

"ARGH!" His nails dug deeply into the grey leather of the couch while he turned to see Callaghan pushing hard a fresh piece of gauze onto his wound.

"I shouldn't have told you since it will diminish your chances of escaping, won't it, Tadashi?" Callaghan's lips curved callously before he leaned close to Tadashi's right ear for a whisper.

"Look, young man. I know you were trying to find a way out, but unfortunately I have no intentions of letting you go, especially after you've known about this quest of mine. It's either you're stuck here with me forever or die trying to escape," Callaghan told him. "But I can make sure you recover well from your wounds and guarantee you and your family's safety if you agree to my proposal."

"And what is that?" Tadashi choked with fear.

"You will join me in my quest and help me to perfect your dear brother's creation," the professor proposed. "You will also do some research on a special topic which I will reveal to you when the time's right. Afterwards, I'll decide what to do with you, depending on how well you'd behaved. That aside, there's another condition."

"That would be...?"

"Your family and no one else must not know anything about this. Even though the fire was convincing enough for people to believe that we're both dead, I'm sure there will be someone who won't be as easily fooled, especially that genius brother of-"

"And what if he knows? Or someone else?" Tadashi interrupted, his eyebrows twisted in fear.

Callaghan's irritated frown began to curve into a smile, "Well then, what do you think is the best way to silence someone?"

"To...kill...?"

"That's right. I'm glad you know the answer to that question, Mr Hamada." The professor grinned at the feeble answer before he extended a hand towards the unwilling young man, "So, do you have any more questions? If not, I shall conclude a deal."

Tadashi hesitated for a moment before he bravely requested, "On one condition."

"And what would that be?" Callaghan swiftly sharpened his stare in suspicion.

"To let me see my family for one last time."

-End of Chapter Five-


	7. Chapter 6: Grief

Chapter Six

-Grief-

As drops of rain pelted relentlessly upon the lush canopy above him, Tadashi began to harbour a thought of escape.

_Should I run? _He sought his heart for an answer. There could not have been a better time to do so since he was now walking alone in the midst of a forest, away from the cemetery where his family had gathered to mourn his 'death'.

He knew that Callaghan would be waiting for his return at the end of the path he was trudging on, and that once he reached it, he will lose his freedom and never be able to see them again. Yet at the same time, he also knew it would be downright selfish and irresponsible of him to flee as he fearfully acknowledged the dreadful consequences his escape may cause for himself and his loved ones.

_Professor Callaghan could do anything to hurt them, _Tadashi's mind warned. _There's no telling to his insanity…and brutality. _

Clicking his tongue in irritation, Tadashi started to run down the muddy path, despite a tearing ache running up his legs, and kicked a pile of wet leaves at its edge when he suddenly slipped and fell with his back landing into a dirty pool of rainwater.

"Argh, damn it!" The man cursed, clutching the moist earth around his stretched fingers as he felt the water seeping through his clothes and bandages to sting his burns. He then gazed hopelessly at the thundering clouds above him before he released a loud, feral shout in frustration.

"Why did I rush in that night? Why?!" Tadashi heard his voice boomed across the woods. He later bent forward to hug his knees and silently blamed himself as he remembered the grieving faces of Aunt Cass and Hiro at the mourning.

_If I hadn't, none of these would have happened…and they wouldn't have to suffer like that. _

Tears slowly streamed down his rain-stained cheeks. Tadashi tried to rub them away with his right sleeve, but upon realising the futility of it, he lowered his face towards the ground in submission to a long sob, a first in nearly eleven years since the night of his parents' funeral.

_Mom…Dad…Are you watching? _He asked silently as he looked up into the sky again tearily. _Please tell me what to do…please…_

After a minute spent in silence, Tadashi then lifted his drenched body, with his heart eased of its pent-up confusion, and erased the tear marks on his cheeks as he began to drag his feet across the remaining distance of the lonely path.

_Hiro and Aunt Cass must not be hurt anymore_, he vowed, having found his answer. He will not escape for their sake, no matter the costs he had to bear. It was his fault that he had run into the fire without a thought for them, and so he must bear the full brunt of the consequences.

"What have you been doing?" Tadashi cast his eyes upwards to meet Callaghan's impatient ones as the elder man stood with an umbrella over his grey wavy tuft of hair, waiting beside a modest-looking car.

"Sorry, I slipped on the way…" He mumbled before he felt a soft towel shoved into his hands.

"Get in, quick," Callaghan promptly ordered, pulling the door open for Tadashi before he slammed it shut after the latter entered, and rushed to his seat. In a moment, the car budged to life with a whine and proceeded to drive bumpily down a rocky path that gradually smoothened as it neared the main paved streets of San Fransokyo.

However, the journey throughout was rather quiet, save for an occasional sound of horn. Callaghan would sneak a glance at every opportunity to find Tadashi staring spiritlessly at the scenery outside each time.

He would not bother to pry into the matter; after all, the young man had insisted on witnessing the funeral, despite having been warned of the emotional dilemma he would experience. And now with his condition fulfilled, he would have to obey the former's wishes as stipulated in their deal.

The car stopped in front of an empty, rust-coloured warehouse. With gravel crunching beneath their feet as they alighted, the two men made their way towards the main entrance, and after unlocking its chains, entered into a spacious interior darkened by the storm.

"Dry yourself and take a rest," Callaghan spoke while opening the door to a small room where a terribly thin mattress and a patched blanket lay on its bare floor. "I can't have you tired and sick since it will be nothing more than an unnecessary trouble to me."

Tadashi merely nodded and plodded in without a sound. The professor stared for a while before he flipped a switch to light up a ceiling lamp that cast an orange glow over the room.

"I will be back in an hour," he murmured as he shut the door, leaving his student standing alone surrounded by a musty air.

Then, with a groan, Tadashi collapsed onto the mattress loudly.

_What will happen next? _He wondered, his weary eyes fixated on the mouldy ceiling as he ran his hands through his damp black hair in resignation.

Tadashi used to be sure of where he would be in the future, having decided to pursue his passion in robotics and make a career out of it, but after being trapped by a secret with his revenge-bent mentor, he felt his ambitions were no longer in his grasp.

He only knew at the moment that he was to help Callaghan to improve the microbots and do research on an unspecified matter for his plot. After that, Callaghan would decide on how to deal with him.

_Or to dispose of me…_Tadashi leaked a little smile in self-deprecation.

He took off his wet shirt, placing it directly under the ceiling lamp to dry, before with a yawn, he reached for the blanket and curled his body into a foetal position for warmth.

_No matter what, I'll still have to do whatever he says_, Tadashi sighed as his eyes began to close. _Then hopefully, I can return to them once the deal is off._

-End of Chapter Six-


	8. Chapter 7: Broken

Chapter Seven

-Broken-

Callaghan couldn't resist a pleased smile as he watched Tadashi perform a test-run from his room.

The young man, though quiet, had been obedient to his will without a single resistance and had also devoted his brilliant mind entirely into refining his brother's creation to the point that they are truly capable of dealing with almost any kind of situation imaginable.

For instance, to lend more flexibility to these tiny bots, Tadashi developed a variant with long pointed ends to connect with its smaller cousins. This granted them extended length, reinforced structural support, and subsequently reducing the number of microbots needed to perform the same task.

Moreover, the variant can also root its pointed ends into anything to provide further strength and stability when the microbots form a physical structure or are moving on unstable grounds.

And lastly, should the need arises, it can use them to swiftly strike down potential threats before they could disrupt anything.

Needless to say, Callaghan loved it.

It would make his plans much easier to carry out, he thought, as he turned to face his desk where thick stacks of paper, blueprints, and electronic equipment lay haphazardly across its fine brown surface. He then stepped forward to pull open a drawer, from which he picked up a small framed photograph and traced his fingers endearingly across the image of a young, slender brunette whose blue eyes shone curiously with vivacity.

"And once they are completed, you can finally rest in peace," Callaghan whispered with a sad smile as his eyes trailed over his daughter and the only family he had for the past twenty-five years.

After all, his wife had passed away on the same day when Aigail was born.

Callaghan remembered he was devastated by her death, despite having been told to expect it, as her frail body had fallen victim to an infection during her late months of pregnancy, one that eventually worsened towards her demise during childbirth. He had then isolated himself for the following few weeks until one day, tired of his misery, he blindly decided to 'reunite' with his beloved wife.

That was, until the cries of his daughter awakened him to his senses.

While such loud inaudible cries may be easily dismissed as a way for the infant to seek attention, hers had, however, meant something else to Callaghan at that moment.

He felt as if she was begging him to stop whatever he was doing, and return to her side instead. To safety, to comfort, and to his family…

Callaghan then realised how foolish he had been into thinking that ending his life would solve everything when it would instead create even more troubles, especially for his daughter who had barely begun her life in the world. And how selfish of him, as both an adult and parent, to think that he was the only one suffering from the death of his wife when his daughter had already lost her mother from the _beginning_.

Callaghan winced a little in embarrassment, as he recalled himself returning to cradle Abigail to sleep before surrendering to a night-long sob to release the sadness and grief that had earlier overwhelmed his soul.

_Not that she needs to know that! _He told himself before he momentarily looked away from the photograph to his desk. _And this, too…_

A flicker of conscience suddenly sparked in his mind, causing Callaghan's eyes to slowly widen in shock as it dawned on him the similarity between his actions in the past and those of the current.

Had he been foolish to think that exacting revenge will end his grievances over the loss of his precious daughter? Had he been selfish too, by hurting so many innocent people as he embarked on his quest?

The professor whirled around to stare at Tadashi.

_What have I been thinking all this while? Why did I even think of killing Tadashi in the first place that night?_

It took a moment of such wonder before Callaghan finally discovered that he had changed. He was no longer the open and kind-hearted man he used to be. Instead, he had buried his broken heart deep beneath the waves of hatred and rage that had consumed him since Abigail's death.

_Should I stop? Or is it too late to stop?_

For once, he questioned his motives.

He knew Abigail would not wish to see him suffer or avenge her, but he just could not bear to see his daughter, who had a promising life to look forward to, disappear from the world right in front of him because of an experiment gone horribly wrong.

Callaghan shifted his sorrowful eyes towards his laptop screen, where a large crimson imprint of an encircled sparrow coldly greeted him. He immediately gritted his teeth in seething anger, having felt insulted by the otherwise harmless symbol.

_No, I mustn't. This is different from the past. _

While his wife's death was by fate, Abigail's was not. It could have been avoided if only the man in charge of the control centre had ordered the experiment to stop after being informed of the risks.

_If only that man had not given in to his greed and pride._

A small electronic beep suddenly sounded from the laptop, alerting Callaghan to an unwelcome presence at a place vital to the completion of his quest: Akuma Island, or more precisely the place where the experiment had occurred at.

He hurriedly clicked the alert to check the video footage, which revealed a small team of four surveying the abandoned facility for any salvageable remains.

_Krei Tech…_Callaghan concluded instantly. He must reach the island quickly and prevent the portal from being dismantled by the hands of the same company that saw its construction.

Donning on his black trench coat, Callaghan then took a last glance at his daughter's picture before he stowed it back into the drawer and left the room with his heart swallowed up by rage once more.

-End of Chapter Seven-


	9. Chapter 8: Plot

Chapter Eight

-Plot-

"I will be leaving for a few hours to investigate a matter. Meanwhile you will continue your work."

The microbots suddenly collapsed into a large lifeless pile as Tadashi turned around in distraction to Callaghan's brisk words. He then saw his starkly-dressed captor rushing across a suspending passage above and gave an acknowledging nod before returning back to his test-run.

Following which, he engrossed himself in observing his variant's coordination with the rest of the microbots until after a loud slam was heard in a distance would Tadashi finally relax and slump onto his seat in weariness.

_Seven days…_His mind recalled. He had spent a week trapped in this derelict place, helping his captor—and saviour—with his plot for revenge while the world continued to believe he had disappeared into the flames forever.

However, he had to admit that he had not been ill-treated throughout. Staying true to his promise of ensuring the young man's recovery, Callaghan had made sure to treat his burns daily, and also brought food and water to satisfy his living needs at least.

Tadashi carefully lifted up a layer of bandage on his right arm to inspect a burn. Except for a few stubborn blisters, most of the burnt layer had shed away for a healthy pink skin that struggled to blend in with the rest of his cream-coloured body.

The scar would not bother him though; in truth he knew it could have been much worse if he had not faced away from the explosion.

_I could have been blind, or even dead…_Tadashi closed his eyes.

He soon shifted his thoughts toward his family, the memory of which caused his lips to crease slightly in a frown. Their sombre expressions had still haunted him to this moment, causing his heart to ache terribly in worry as he wondered how they are faring afterwards.

_Especially Hiro_, an uneasy breath of air escaped him. His little brother may share the intelligence of a young adult, but his heart is still of a budding teenager, vulnerable to any emotionally-charged situation he encounters.

And that worried Tadashi even more.

_How would he react? _He questioned himself. _That bonehead had better not be doing anything crazy because-!_

Tadashi then paused, his heart having been gripped by guilt, as he remembered the truth.

_Because it was not his fault. _

It was Tadashi's fault that Hiro had to endure the painful circumstances of his disappearance. If he had not rushed in that night, his brother would have been a happy college freshman by now, and they would have gone on to enjoy their lives like they always had before.

Tadashi was the one who had been stupid, thinking that he could help everyone he meets in his life when he did not even bother to help himself in the first place. He was the one who had caused their world to shatter possibly forever.

_I'm sorry…_The young man bit his lips in remorse. _I should have listened to you, Hiro; I should have stayed behind with you! If only…_

Tadashi lifted his head to cast his teary eyes upon the exit.

_If only I can be there for you…_

These words slowly drifted into darkness, leaving ripples of thought behind. Tadashi then took refuge in a moment of silence to collect his emotions before he suddenly had an idea.

He could sneak out. After all, Callaghan had said he would be away for a few hours. Tadashi could take advantage of his absence to head into the city and check on his family secretly, provided that he returns back before the professor does, of course.

_But what if he returns early and discovers I'm missing?_

Tadashi swallowed nervously. Then, without a doubt, there will be a price to pay for his betrayal, and this time, it will not be him who would have to bear it all.

_No, I can't have my family suffer along with me! _His heart protested against the idea. He simply could not bear to break their hearts again.

Tadashi proceeded to glance around at his surroundings. He had to make his decision quickly lest the opportunity slips from his fingers with time. Retreating back into his mind, Tadashi began to weigh the prospects carefully before with a deep breath, he mustered his courage and rose from his seat. He had decided to try his luck.

He soon walked cautiously across the space to climb the staircase to reach the suspending passage. After which, he made his way towards the exit where he would try to pull the rusty door open, only to have it return a resisting budge.

_Of course, Callaghan would've known better than a fool to lock it from outside, _a little foolish smile played on Tadashi's lips as he mocked himself for being silly.

He then explored his remaining options: he could sneak out through the windows, but it would leave him stranded without a way to enter back as they were located high above the ground. He had no intention to bring the microbots along to aid him as well.

Deciding against it, Tadashi moved on to the next option: the sewers. While he was initially hesitant towards the idea of using the revolting underground waste tunnels, Tadashi had to acknowledge that they are actually a great way to move around the city.

He had only two problems: he had no idea _where _to access the sewers, and _how _to use them to get to his home.

_Unless I know the layout of this warehouse, and the entire sewer system…_Tadashi sighed resignedly before another realisation struck him. _Wait a minute, shouldn't there be a floorplan somewhere...?_

He spun around to glance at a warmly-lit room on the other end of the passage. That had to be it. There was no other place Callaghan would keep his possessions and everything at than his own room.

Releasing his grip on the handle, Tadashi began to jog cautiously towards the room where he would set his plot to work as he had hoped for.

-End of Chapter Eight-

* * *

Author's Notes: A great thanks to **The Storm King **for his great commentary (beta-reading)! :D


	10. Chapter 9: Lies

Chapter Nine

-Lies-

As it turned out, however, things were not working out in Tadashi's favour.

_Where is it?! _His eyebrows furrowed anxiously.

He had spent the last quarter rummaging through a muddle of paper and equipment on the professor's desk, only to find nothing like a floorplan and have his confidence eroded away by a fruitless search.

_Think, Tadashi, think! _The student urged his mind. He then stepped back to survey the compact room he was in and traced its few pieces of furniture closely for a hint of that piece of paper. He would gradually shift his sight towards the desk to find a vaguely familiar silhouette of a series of drawers.

_Oh God, you're such an idiot! _Tadashi slapped his forehead in embarrassment before wasting no time, he immediately rushed over to pull the topmost drawer open to examine its contents.

He would, however, find none of the floorplan he had badly hoped to see. After which, in a conscious effort to conceal his actions, he proceeded to place the contents back carefully and moved on to the next. He would then repeat the same routine feverishly for the subsequent drawers until he finally paused upon reaching the last one.

_This is it_.

Tadashi gazed hopefully at the little wooden knob of the drawer. Despite his morale-crushing failures, the tired lad had somehow managed to keep his hopes alive though barely, and he knew that if he still could not find anything in that bulky container, he would have to give up everything he had come for, including his only possible chance to see Hiro.

Tadashi clicked his tongue in irritation. He hated to be in a situation where it is either for all or for nothing. His fingers soon curled around the little knob in a tight grasp before hesitating no further, he pulled it out and peered hopefully into the space.

There was nothing. Nothing as in no paper, roll, or one of those fancy maps one usually sees in movies, but just a small framed photograph of a young woman lying delicately in its midst.

_Abigail…_Tadashi stared at her face for a moment until he abruptly broke the tense silence with a round of laughter.

_Of course, it's Abigail! It's her photograph! _He grinned to himself silly as he slumped against a ledge behind. _Why did I think it was just my imagination when there really was nothing but her photograph here? _

The young man continued to choke out a few more laughs before he gradually cried.

_Why am I being so hopeful when there wasn't even hope? _

Tadashi proceeded to hug his knees for solace. He could feel his will breaking already, and he felt utterly helpless to do anything to change his fate.

_This really sucks, _he cursed himself crudely. It sucked that this time, he could not work his usual way through with his determination and optimism for he had nearly lost them both. And he also realised, at this moment, that he had been living a lie.

A lie he had believed, since ten years ago, that he was strong enough to stand up against whatever life has to throw at him after his parents' death when all along, he could barely even endure the ordeal he had been facing since the fire.

He had been lying to himself all this time, having forced his broken spirit to hide beneath a fabric of hope, kindness, and warmth for the sake of being the best brother and man he could be for his family.

Which was his own fault too, Tadashi managed a weak smile. _Funny that an honest man isn't honest with himself, isn't it? _

Stifling a sob, Tadashi soon held up the photograph to his eyes to gaze at Abigail's cheery face. He knew she would be saddened to see him in such a sorry state and by the situation she had caused if she were to be alive.

_Heck, it's her death that caused it, _he corrected his thoughts when it suddenly hit him. _ But why did she suddenly pass on? And why was Alistair involved with her death?_

Tadashi rose from his position in thought. He had known Abigail since he was introduced to her by Callaghan in his first year of college, and he knew that no one would hate such an affable and brilliant person to death.

Alistair must have done something that led to her demise, and whatever he did, it was bad enough to change the usually composed Callaghan into a revenge-hungry criminal, he figured. Tadashi then lifted his gaze towards the desk.

_The answers must be there. _

Following which, he slowly pushed himself away from the ledge to stand and walked over to the desk where he would begin to study the papers from the muddle curiously. His eyebrows then creased in confusion, which culminated in disbelief, as Tadashi tried hard to swallow the contents he had read in his trembling hands.

_Teleportation…existed? _Tadashi gasped. Teleportation was at best a theoretical possibility, to his knowledge, but for him to discover that it actually existed, and moreover the fact that Abigail "died" because she disappeared into a teleportation portal created by Alistair and never returned back…

_It was simply unbelievable, _the young man grasped his hair while he leaned against the ledge. _First, it was Krei and then this..._

Everything now seemed so surreal that for a moment, he wondered if he was alive or actually in a coma before he suddenly felt terrified and sick of living in this strange world he had unwittingly gone into.

"What are you doing here?"

Tadashi was jolted back to his senses as he cast his gaze towards the direction of the voice to find a tall black figure standing at the door.

_Fuck, _he swore at his luck.

"I repeat, what on earth are you doing here, Tadashi?!" Callaghan demanded as he strode towards Tadashi with an enraged face.

The latter stammered, "I-I was…"

_Quick, idiot, think of a lie!_

"I was trying to find out what is the special topic you want me to research on later," he began nervously. "Thought it might help in developing the microbots."

Callaghan paused upon hearing these words and stared at the panic-stricken student in search for a hint of dishonesty. The elder man knew that being an honest man to a fault, Tadashi was also a horrible liar, though now it was hard to determine whether he was lying or simply intimidated by his presence.

He then shifted his eyes towards the desk, where he found his daughter's photograph lying idly on it. In a moment of panic, he quickly rushed to check its state thoroughly before finding it undamaged, to which Callaghan heaved a sigh of relief.

"You found something else, didn't you?" He glanced sharply at Tadashi, who proceeded to give a rather unsure reply, "The teleportation…is that real?"

Callaghan fell silent as he gazed lovingly at the photograph before he deliberately placed it back into its rightful drawer. After which, he exhaled softly.

"It was a secret collaboration between the government and Krei Tech. They had wanted to explore a new way to transport people and goods between places, so as to better manage urban development, pollution, and many others."

He briefly swallowed while he recalled the accident, "Abigail was one of the research members who were behind the creation of the teleportation portals, and as you know how she usually was, she willingly volunteered to be a test subject for a presentation. I was initially hesitant, though I eventually gave my consent after being convinced by Alistair that he would do his absolute best to ensure her safety throughout the presentation."

The professor then bit on his lower lip bitterly, "I should have known not to trust him from the start, given how he had acted in the past."

"What happened?" Tadashi blurted curiously.

"The presentation was going well, but Alistair was soon warned that the portals were unstable and so needed to be deactivated immediately for repairs," Callaghan gripped the edge of the desk in anger. "He didn't take heed though. After all, the whole project was a technological breakthrough and the General was there too. Surely he must show how great Krei Tech can be."

Tadashi placed his hand upon his chest in an empathetic gesture.

_Callaghan wasn't just angry because he felt betrayed, _he thought_, Abigail's death could have been avoided too. He deserved to be angry. _

He began to think of a consoling reply for Callaghan before a chill struck him. _Wait, couldn't my "death" be avoided too? And what about Hiro?! If he were to know that Callaghan had stolen his microbots for his own plans…_

Tadashi's eyes widened again, this time in sheer dread, as he realised the implications he could have caused.

_Oh no. _

"Judging by your expression, I presume you knew the rest of the story from the papers, " Callaghan misinterpreted his look, to which a distracted Tadashi simply nodded in agreement.

The elder man then turned towards him with a confiding smile, "And since you knew about it, I might as well reveal to you my plan: I am going to have the remaining portal assembled and activated at Krei Tech's new headquarters' opening ceremony."

Tadashi raised an eyebrow in question, "Why?"

"Because if he took away everything I had, I'm going to take his as well, and that means his entire fortune and the company he had built from scratch," Callaghan declared. "Anyway, his life isn't worth much. I had rather not waste my efforts to claim his."

"And what will I do?" Tadashi felt his chest was going to burst from the built-up tension.

"You?" Callaghan smirked, "You have helped me with the microbots, so now you will commence with the second part of our deal."

He briefly fished through the muddle beside him before he found a laptop and placed it on Tadashi's hands.

"Inside are the procedures to activate and operate the teleportation portal. I need you to read up on them as you will be handling its operations while I'm busy assembling it," Callaghan instructed, his eyes boring into the latter's. "I trust you can do your job well and fast."

"Wait, what?" Tadashi blinked in confusion, "Isn't it risky to trust a captive to do this?"

"Oh Tadashi, you're simply too clever!" Callaghan laughed before he approached the stiffened man with a little glint of madness in his eyes, "That's why if you do anything funny, Mr Hamada, I will rip apart your soul, literally."

Tadashi gulped. He could feel his life hanging by a thin thread, but that wouldn't worry him.

What worried him the most now was Hiro.

-End of Chapter Nine-

* * *

Author's Notes: Again, great thanks to my beta-reader for his commentary and to all readers for your patience!


	11. Chapter 10: Panic

Chapter Ten

-Panic-

As Callaghan watched the machines churn out new microbots piece by piece, he folded his arms across his chest in worry.

_We have to act fast, _his eyebrows knitted anxiously.

Though the team dispatched by Krei Tech had left without taking any remains with them, as he had observed from port, Callaghan knew that the firm would eventually dismantle the facility. The only question was when, and if the answer was before the launching ceremony of their new headquarters, then his efforts would be in vain and he would never be able to carry out his quest for revenge.

_But that will never happen with me around, _Callaghan smirked to himself. He turned around to see Tadashi studying the procedures on the laptop in apparent diligence, to which he sighed with a frown.

_That boy's something though…_He thought. Despite having chosen to believe the young man's words, Callaghan still had a lingering suspicion in his heart about the former's motive three nights before.

It could be anything, he wondered, from plotting an escape to sabotaging his work or worse, trying to get information for someone else. Nevertheless, if he were to do any of those, Tadashi would face the same consequence, and that means he would never see the light of day—again.

Callaghan glanced at his watch. _It's almost time_, he reminded himself before he cleared his throat to speak, "I will have to leave to inspect a site for my plans. I trust you won't do anything funny, Mr Hamada."

"Yes, Professor," Tadashi breathed, his eyes briefly meeting the professor's cautious ones. Callaghan then walked out of the room, closing the door and leaving a still air of silence hanging behind.

Then a despairing sigh poured out from Tadashi's chest.

_This is bad, _he laid his head onto the desk. After the episode with Callaghan, Tadashi's worries for Hiro had only worsened to the grave, especially after he realised what the latter might do given his parallel circumstances to Abigail's.

_If Hiro seeks revenge…_Tadashi grasped his hair in fear. _Then that would be a disaster. _

Everything his younger brother had achieved so far will be wasted, and his life will be ruined or even endangered by an impulsive thirst for vengeance should he ever have it.

Tadashi sighed again. His reckless actions had not only caused his loved ones to suffer, but had also created a huge mess that could affect their lives drastically.

Perhaps it was only fortunate that no one knew it was Callaghan who started the fire for his own plans, and that he was alive too since both of them had been presumed dead with the fire assumed to have been caused by a short-circuit.

_If not, Hiro would have hunted Callaghan to death,_ Tadashi bit his lips before he suddenly heard a sound. It was a soft metal clang from a distant end of the warehouse.

Tadashi quickly diverted his focus back to the laptop, thinking it was Callaghan who had returned to get something until he heard another sound.

"Oh no."

Tadashi blinked his eyes in disbelief. _Baymax? Impossible, must be my imagin—!_

"Shhhhh!"

Tadashi immediately froze. For sure, he knew the sound was made by a human, but it sounded so similar to a certain voice that he simply could not believe his senses. _No, it can't be. _

"Excuse me, while I let out some air," The synthesized sound echoed, followed by a high-pitch noise that resembled those made by a deflating balloon before the human sound returned to his ears.

"Are you done?"

Then an alarm went off loudly in Tadashi's head.

_It's him! _He instantly rose in panic. _It's Hiro! Why did he come—No, how did he even get here in the first place?!_

Tadashi could barely believe the odds. His mind tried to race over the possibilities that led to this unexpected arrival of his brother, yet he could not find any, let alone even think of one.

_What should I do?! _He soon asked himself. He knew somewhere in his heart that he had to do something quickly, but his thinking was already blurring and his body had been weakened by an overwhelming wave of shock.

The young man looked around at his surroundings dizzily. He tried to move towards the door, but barely managed to stagger halfway across the room before he fell onto the floor and suddenly struggled to breathe.

_Air…air! _Tadashi screamed in his mind. He clutched onto his chest tightly as he relived the horrible sensation that had happened time and again for the past ten years.

_Weren't you supposed to be strong, Tadashi? _A part of him mocked his situation. _Weren't you supposed to protect Hiro? _

Tadashi widened his eyes in horror.

_The deal…to kill anyone who knows…about this…_He gasped. He must not let Hiro know about Callaghan's plans; he must not let his life be in danger when he still had the chance to stop him.

Unlike that night when their parents died.

"Run!" He heard Hiro shout from below, upon which he quickly stood and wobbled hurriedly to the window where he would see his scrawny teenage brother and his creation fleeing from a gathering mass of microbots.

_Callaghan! _He concluded dreadfully. _He must have seen them!_

Tadashi turned to lurch out of the room. He had to try to convince Callaghan not to kill them, even though he knew it would be nearly impossible.

Bursting out of the room in sweat, Tadashi glanced at both directions of the passage before he found Callaghan in the same dark clothes he had worn before, save for a striking mask that covered his face.

"Callaghan…!" He afforded a weak shout, but the elder man walked further away from him and disappeared into a corner.

_Shoot!_ Tadashi swore. He then grabbed the railings on both sides of the passage for support as he tried to run to Callaghan's side. Slowly, he regained his strength and began to fasten his pace until he turned around the corner to see his captor confronting the two.

"Come on, the window!" Hiro pushed Baymax hurriedly towards one of the windows.

_No, Hiro, no! _Tadashi wanted to shout when he realised he could not. It would only seal Hiro's fate in Callaghan's hands if the former knew about his living state too.

He glimpsed at Callaghan who sent a wave of microbots towards them. Despite his concealed face, Tadashi could make out from his gestures that he was intent on sending them to their deaths by having them fall from the height.

But he could do nothing to stop him. Tadashi only stood helplessly on the spot, watching Hiro trying to squeeze his fat creation through the window before it flipped over, causing the teenage boy to fall outside instead.

"Baymax!" Hiro let out a desperate scream.

"Hiro," Baymax uttered before the microbots pushed it out into the air.

Then a loud crash was heard. Callaghan turned around in surprise to find an unconscious Tadashi sprawled across the passage.

-End of Chapter Ten-


	12. Chapter 11: Helpless

Chapter Eleven

-Helpless-

He could have rushed to help them, but he didn't.

Instead, the boy had remained rooted to the spot, his heart struggling to believe the reality before him as he stared at the grisly aftermath of a car crash. His knees then fell onto the concrete pavement as he spotted a pair of bloodied bodies that lay in one of the wrecked remnants.

They were his parents.

A part of his heart urged him to scream in horror, but his voice was trapped in his throat. He tried to crawl towards them, but he fell onto the ground face-flat as his arms collapsed. His once clear thoughts soon blurred into a hazy mess as shock seized his mind.

And then suddenly, for the first time, he felt as if he was being strangled alive.

He tried to breathe for dear life and grasped the centre of his chest tightly. He quickly lifted his face from the ground to look at his parents before he was carried away by a pair of hands.

"Don't look, kid," a gravelly voice advised. The boy, however, refused to listen; yet no matter how hard he tried to slip from the man's arms, his body could not escape his firm grip. It subsequently dawned on him that he was weak and helpless in this world.

The boy shuddered in fear at the thought, but he refused to give up. Gathering his strength, he finally found his voice and screamed "Mom! Dad!" before another voice interjected his words.

"Wake up, Tadashi!"

Tadashi then woke up immediately, his chest throbbing rapidly with sweat. He stared around at his surroundings to find the world he had dreamt of gone and replaced by a dimly-lit room.

"Where am I?" He breathed as he ran his fingers through his damp hair.

"Akuma Island," Callaghan merely replied. He then handed a cup of warm water to his captive, "Drink, it will make you feel better."

Tadashi hesitated for a moment before he enveloped the cup with his hands and gazed at his frightened reflection. He would proceed to sip the water slowly, allowing its warmth to comfort his soul. After which, he turned to glare at Callaghan, "You killed Hiro, didn't you?"

"He didn't die."

"You're lying!"

"He escaped _alive_!" Callaghan snapped back, "Otherwise I would have found his body on the ground along with your robot."

"How can I know you're telling the truth?!" Tadashi barked exasperatedly. In return, the professor strode towards him and knelt down with a grim expression on his face.

"I brought everything here because I don't want to risk being discovered by that boy again, unless he happens to know every move of mine and can swim across San Fransokyo Bay."

The young man fell silent. He had to admit his captor's words made sense.

"When did you see them?" Tadashi finally began after a while. Callaghan stood up from his position, "I saw them while I was on my way out. They had spent a moment trying to sneak into the warehouse through the window. It seems like I didn't make a clean escape that night."

"What do you mean?"

"That boy had one of the microbots in his hands," he explained. "He'd probably found it somewhere or kept it with him the whole time."

Tadashi gripped the edge of his shirt tightly. It relieved him to know that Hiro did not turn up at the warehouse to seek revenge for his 'death', yet at the same time, it worried him that his brother had unknowingly endangered himself after his curiosity led him to discover his captor's plans. And he knew he would not stop there.

_Hiro will probably try to find us again,_ Tadashi rubbed his forehead. _Though he wouldn't expect us to be on an island in the middle of the bay, like what Callaghan said…_

"Anyway, it seems like you had a bad dream, didn't you?"

"Sorry?" Tadashi blurted in distraction. He turned to see Callaghan walking towards a large hole in a crumbly wall, from which the latter proceeded to gaze at the bay. "Mind sharing with me about it?"

Tadashi eyed him warily before he spoke reluctantly, "It was my parents. They died in a car accident and I just stood there, unsure of what to do."

"Why didn't you do anything?"

"I was…stunned," he thought of a fitting word, "and afraid. I wanted to rush to help them, but the scene was horrifying. Their bodies were crushed…and there was blood everywhere. I just couldn't believe that they were suddenly dead in front of me."

A gloomy silence followed as Callaghan contemplated his tale until he replied, "You have a bad habit of seeing too much, Tadashi."

"I guess so," The young man mumbled resignedly.

"Is that why you wanted to help people, because you couldn't do so in the past?"

Tadashi returned his sight to the empty cup on his hands, "I don't know…I just don't want to feel helpless like that night. I hated that feeling."

Callaghan turned to give an empathetic look before he slowly inhaled the salty air.

"Let me share mine as well. I used to feel the same way as you too when I watched my wife suffer from an infection more than twenty years ago."

"What infection was it?"

"Pneumonia," he revealed. "She contracted it when she was in her late months of pregnancy. The doctors tried to heal her but her physically weak condition and fears of further complications prevented them from doing so."

Callaghan paused shortly before he continued with a barely noticeable quiver in his voice.

"So they told me to expect the worst. My wife must have known her fate too, but still she managed a smile and comforted me though it only made me even more heart-wrenched. Because I know that she was saddened, yet I could not do anything to save her. I was merely watching her suffer. I felt so powerless and angry with myself."

"Did she make it in the end?" Tadashi asked concernedly.

"No, she died," Callaghan answered. "But not before giving birth to Abigail. I was so devastated by her death that I nearly took my own life, but I didn't."

"What happened?" Tadashi asked next. He was surprised that even a clever man like Callaghan would consider suicide.

"Abigail stopped me," Callaghan smiled softly. "She cried when I was about to do it. I know it sounds silly, but at that time when I was at my lowest, her cries meant something else to me. I felt as if she was calling for me to return because she needed me by her side."

He then turned away from the bay to face his captive, "That's why Abigail meant so much to me. She was the only family I had, and I loved her as much as I had loved her mother. But Krei took her away just like that, though he had the chance to stop everything."

"But Professor Callaghan," Tadashi swallowed nervously, "with respect, your actions won't bring her back."

"I never said that I want to bring her back. She's already gone, and will never be able to return from that damn portal."

"But Professor," Tadashi repeated, this time in a pleading voice, "both of us knew that she wouldn't want to see you trying to take revenge on her behalf. She would be saddened to see—!"

"I know, Tadashi!" Callaghan interrupted furiously, "But have you ever thought how it pained me to see her disappear? She had a promising life ahead, but thanks to that man's arrogance, she will never be able to enjoy it."

The professor then marched towards a door, "Don't you dare to argue back, young man. Your parents may have died, but you still have your brother while I have lost everything."

Tadashi stared at his eyes. They had turned cold in an instant.

"By the way, have you read up all of the procedures?"

"Most of it, though I think I will read it again in case I forget," Tadashi replied softly.

The professor acknowledged, "Good, then do it quick. We don't have much time left."

After which, he slammed the door shut, leaving behind an air filled with the sound of waves crashing against the shore and a defeated sigh.

-End of Chapter Eleven-

* * *

Author's Note: I actually rewrote this chapter because of the response received for the previous chapter! Thank you to all of you for your kind feedback and support, I really appreciate them greatly. I hope this chapter doesn't kill your hopes though, especially since this is, as what my action-buff friend likes to label it as, the "talking part of the movie".

Which I understand it may be boring to some of you, though I must say that it's a crucial part of the story, the reasons being obvious. Otherwise, once again thank you for reading and a good day ahead!


	13. Chapter 12: Problem

Chapter Twelve

-Problem-

Although he had removed every trace of their presences in the warehouse, Callaghan knew that his troubles were only beginning.

While he doubted that Hiro could do much to stop his quest directly, he decided to be more cautious in case the authorities were informed of his suspicious activities. That meant carrying out the bulk of his remaining plans only during the wee hours of morning when most of the city is at sleep, and a faster pace at that too.

_Which shouldn't be a problem,_ Callaghan thought. He had not encountered any difficulty when he moved everything from the warehouse to the island, thanks to the enormous amount of microbots created and Tadashi's variants, which have added stability to their movements across the bay. And with Tadashi handling the operating procedures, Callaghan could focus more on the assembly of the portal and then on getting his revenge on the fateful day.

The professor smiled. _Everything's getting back on track, except…him._

Callaghan's lips creased a little in worry as he turned around to glance at his captive, who was studying the contents on his laptop at the control centre. He could tell from the young man's behaviour since the episode a few nights ago that he was already breaking in spirit. His brother's sudden and nearly-fatal intrusion had only worsened it further, though it had also erased a few of Callaghan's suspicions as well.

_At least he wasn't sabotaging his plans or spying for someone else, _Callaghan sighed. _Otherwise, he would have tried to fight. _

At the same time, that would also leave escape as the last possible reason for Tadashi's presence in his room that night, he figured, though that would not be a problem.

_Unless he can swim across the bay, of course. _

Callaghan took a brief look at his watch before he decided it was time to execute his plans. Putting on his mask, he proceeded to command the microbots to carefully take apart the still pristine portal into eight sections, after which he had them hold up a section.

"I will be leaving to carry out my plan," he declared to Tadashi, who looked up at him in response. "You should know what to do in the meantime."

The young man briefly gave a nod, following which, Callaghan turned to head out of the facility with the microbots holding his weight and section beneath. He would soon reach the bay, where he proceeded to plunge the section into its deep dark waters to hide it from sight and drift across a sea of fog gathering above its waves.

It then took a few moments before he finally saw the trading post in a distance. Finding no one in sight, he proceeded to move forward and onto the concrete ground before he commanded the microbots again to lift the section from the waters and place it near a stack of cargo containers.

After which, he would return back to the island to repeat this process for a few times before he suddenly stopped.

_Someone's coming…_Callaghan saw a pair of lights heading towards his left. In a precautionary move, he quickly hid himself and the last section behind the nearest stack of cargo containers.

But strangely, no one had come to investigate. Curious, the professor then crept towards a corner and listened for any sound of activity. He soon heard voices talking softly, followed by a distinctively familiar one.

"I also know karate."

_Baymax? _Callaghan raised his eyebrows in disbelief. _Wait, shouldn't they be sleeping at this hour?!_

He cupped his hands around his ear to listen closely lest he had heard wrongly.

"…that's why Baymax contacted us."

"Those who suffer a loss require support from friends and loved ones."

_It's them! _Callaghan then gritted his teeth in displeasure. They had come to search for him, perhaps even try to stop his plans themselves, and this time, they were not alone.

_Who else did he bring along? _He wondered before he shook his head in disagreement. _No, that doesn't matter now. Regardless of who they are, they must all be silenced at any cost._

The professor distanced himself away from the cargo container. He had to find a way quickly to do so before they could disrupt anything. He soon looked up at the bulky containers, to which he smiled balefully.

_Let's see if this will do the trick, _he wondered as he ordered the microbots to lift himself and the topmost container up.

"—HOLY _MOTHER_ OF MEGAZON!"

A slender Caucasian had suddenly exclaimed as the entire group of young adults, a teenage boy, and an armoured robot turned to stare at him in wide-eyed horror.

_So he called Tadashi's friends…_Callaghan smirked. The microbots continued to lift the container up into the air as he prepared to hurl it towards them.

"Am I the only one seeing this?" The Caucasian man asked aloud before a tall blonde woman behind snapped a picture of Callaghan, unwittingly inciting the latter's fury.

_How dare they?! _Callaghan felt mocked by her action. He then swiftly commanded the microbots to throw the container down with force and turned away from the scene, expecting the move to crush them to death in an instant.

But there was not a sound to be heard. Callaghan turned back to find Baymax rushing to fight him alone.

_They must have managed to escape, _he frowned before he had the microbots envelop the robot in their grasp and hurl it into the air. Afterwards, he raised himself to a higher height where he would find the group taking refuge in a car with Baymax stuck helplessly on its roof.

_There you are! _Callaghan grinned maliciously as he summoned his entire army of microbots, which prompted the car to drive backwards in retreat. The professor then sent a wave of microbots to chase it, and was nearly able to reach its edge when the microbots were suddenly repulsed by a force that caused the car to swirl around.

_So you're taking it to the streets,_ Callaghan leaked a smugly smile, watching the car speed off into the city, before he proceeded to chase them.

Following which, for the next minute or two, he drifted through the empty streets seamlessly, jumping past an elevated tramway in the midst as he followed the car in a tight pursuit.

"Uh, why are you trying to kill us?!" An African-American leaned out of a window to ask him.

_Because you have seen too much,_ the professor answered in his mind before the microbots picked an idle car on the street and threw it into the air in another attempt to kill them.

Alas however, they had managed to dodge his attack.

Clicking his tongue in irritation, Callaghan quickly navigated through a series of alleys to reach a traffic junction, where he would see the car driving towards him.

_You're not getting away from—! _He had barely begun to celebrate when the car abruptly swerved into an alley, infuriating him once more.

_Looks like we're going to play tag, aren't we? _

Callaghan cursed under his breath. He then made a rough prediction of their escape route and drifted through the streets to arrive at another traffic junction beside a flyover, where he would sight the car driving towards his direction again.

_I've caught you, _Callaghan's eyes narrowed in menace as he commanded the microbots to form a massive barrier across the junction, blocking every possible path the car could take.

However, his efforts would be in vain as the car simply skidded up the road and used the barrier to launch itself into the air before landing on the flyover to escape from his clutches once again.

_This is getting interesting…_An amused grin began to form on Callaghan's face as he resumed his pursuit. He soon sent another wave of microbots to strip a door from the car, causing Hiro to nearly fall to his death until Baymax grasped him in time.

In spite of that, Callaghan remained composed. He continued his pursuit until a train crossed his path, forcing him to separate from his target. Unnerved, the professor went on to track the car's movements at the other side of the railway until it disappeared into another street.

_Oh no, you shall not escape from me…_Callaghan commanded the bulk of his microbots to scout ahead before he caught the car crossing his path. With a grin, he then shaped the microbots around the car like a spiralling barrel, causing it to disappear within their black walls.

_It's time for you to reach your destination, _his eyes lit up as he directed the barrel towards a damaged road leading to the bay.

Then, within the next few seconds, the car burst out from within to land onto the road before it tried to brake desperately, only to eventually crash-dive into the watery depths.

_Adieu,_ Callaghan smirked triumphantly as he went to confirm its fate.

After finding none of its occupants floating alive on the waters, he turned back to continue his plans, relieved to know that a part of his troubles have been wiped away while remaining unaware that he had in fact made a great mistake.

-End of Chapter Twelve-

* * *

Author's Notes: This chapter is quite tedious because I have to translate the action into words (re-watched the car chase scene about 4-5 times, not that I mind though :p). Hope you enjoyed reading it and as usual, a good day ahead!


	14. Chapter 13: Fight

Chapter Thirteen

-Fight-

Since his return, Callaghan had never mentioned a word about the chase to Tadashi.

He reasoned that the news would only cause the latter's spirit to shatter completely or even turn against his plans, which would then be an unnecessary trouble for him to deal with especially at this moment when they had only a day left to the opening ceremony.

_Time is now of the essence,_ Callaghan reminded himself before he looked up from his watch to glance at Tadashi who was busy configuring the settings for the portal. The two men had also encountered a problem a few days ago: they discovered that the portal required constant power and manual control to operate.

To solve this, Callaghan had installed a battery in the portal to ensure that it has a constant supply of electricity for power while Tadashi proceeded to create a programme chip that can enable the portal to activate and operate automatically with the desired settings once it receives power. After which, with the problem solved, a portion of his plans' success would be secured while the rest would depend on his execution on the day itself.

_Which shouldn't be difficult, _Callaghan's lips curved slightly in a smile. He could feel his heart starting to swell with triumph and thrill as he began to anticipate the moment when he would capture Krei and make him watch helplessly the destruction of his techno-business empire.

"Err…Professor Callaghan, there is an alert from the laptop."

"What?" Callaghan snapped in surprise as he was pulled back to reality, "Where and what is it?!"

The professor had not expected any problem to arise after their current one. With haste, he hurried over to Tadashi's side and read the alert on the screen with worry.

"Someone's coming…" He breathed fearfully, "Click on it."

Tadashi obliged and clicked on the alert. A video footage from the exterior of the facility appeared.

"Who on earth…are they?" The young man raised an eyebrow in bemusement as Callaghan leaned forward to have a closer look. A group of six people had gathered outside the entrance, all of whom were dressed in suits that were either sleek or downright bizarre to look at.

_And why did they come here in the first place? _Callaghan wondered. Other than Krei Tech and the Coast Guard, no one in their right mind would choose to visit such a desolate island. _Unless…_

Callaghan's eyes widened in realisation. _No, it can't be._

"Professor Callaghan?" Tadashi called his name upon seeing his curious reaction before the professor barked, "Quick, Tadashi, hide in the room! I will deal with them personally."

"What?"

"I said HIDE!" Callaghan's voice echoed across the empty hall, to which a puzzled Tadashi quickly tucked the laptop under his arm and scrambled off to a place to hide himself. Afterwards, Callaghan proceeded to put on his mask and summoned his microbots to hold his weight again as he moved from the control centre to the chamber below where he planned to observe the intruders from the shadows.

_Or rather the walking dead, _he thought of a more fitting description. He could barely believe that they were still alive after having confirmed their deaths by person.

_They must have made it out before they could be drowned, _Callaghan eventually figured. He then clenched his fists tightly in anger. It was careless of him to overlook such a crucial factor as time in their survival, and now with their return, his plans were ever so close to the brink of failure.

"What do you think it is, genius?"

Callaghan hid closely behind a pillar in caution. The group of six—no, five and one robot to be exact, had arrived at last.

He then listened carefully to their footsteps directly above him, which stopped as they stood to stare at the remains of a portal before they continued to sound towards the direction of the control centre. Following which, Callaghan commanded the microbots to slowly hoist him up to the edge of the platform above where he would observe their actions more closely.

"That's right. We were asked to do the impossible."

_Krei?! _Callaghan nearly reeled back from shock. That man's voice had suddenly sounded aloud from their location and spoke a line that seemed very familiar to a part of his memories…

The professor commanded the microbots again to lift him closer to the control centre, in which he saw the group watching a series of clips on a large screen.

_What are they watching? _His eyes squinted. Each of the clips seemed to be a video footage of separate locations from an earlier time when the facility was still occupied and properly maintained unlike its current derelict state. He soon caught sight of a familiar brunette conversing with a grey-haired man in one of the clips.

_Isn't that me and Abigail? _His eyes widened in surprise.

Abigail was wearing a white skin-tight suit in the clip—which was exactly what she last wore on the day of her disappearance, as far as Callaghan could remember.

_And that means…_

"I present to you Project Silent Sparrow!"

_NO! _Callaghan shouted in his mind. _They must not know about this! _

He retreated back to the chamber in hurry. They had been watching clips from the time of the accident, and now he had to stop them quickly before they could discover anything that might hint at his plans and spoil them in anyway possible.

_Especially at this moment! _Callaghan gritted his teeth in fury. He must not let anyone stop him from getting his revenge, especially when he was finally close to realising it.

He then glanced around at his ruined surroundings and saw a large chunk of wall lying at a far corner of the chamber. He ordered the microbots to carry it towards his side and slowly lift it up into the air.

_Everything will end here, _Callaghan's lips creased with determination as the boulder approached the desired height. After which, he commanded the microbots to hurl it without hesitation.

_GOODBYE! _He watched as the boulder flew towards them before it crashed with a resounding boom, seemingly crushing the group in an instant blow.

Then, convinced that they were truly silenced at last, Callaghan turned to resume his plans when another crash sounded.

_What?! _He swirled around to see a red rocket fist bursting from the boulder, which soon returned back to its master—who was still functioning well along with the rest of the group.

"Take out the neurotransmitter behind his mask!" A member in purple, who was apparently Hiro, then shouted as he pointed at him.

_Looks like they never learnt their lessons…_Callaghan frowned again before he sent a wave of microbots to swarm them, hoping to gain an advantage as he prepared himself for the ensuing fight.

-End of Chapter Thirteen-


	15. Chapter 14: Insanity

Chapter Fourteen

-Insanity-

Tadashi was puzzled, to say the least.

He could not understand why Callaghan would be agitated by a seemingly harmless group of strangers who were cladded in unusual suits. He felt that his reaction was slightly exaggerated, even for a man who was worried that his plans might fall apart at this crucial moment.

_Unless he knew them…_Tadashi figured. He then recalled how each member of the group had a unique suit that seemed to indicate their individual preferences. For example, the one in a sleek yellow suit with wheels at the heels clearly preferred speed, he deduced, while another in a strange monster-like outfit probably liked fantasy.

However, the one whom he was most intrigued by was a red-armoured giant who had a pair of wings attached to his back for flight. He also appeared to have a companion who was rather short and thin like his younger brother.

_But that shouldn't be Hiro! He wouldn't know where we are…would he?_ Tadashi assumed before something within his heart told him otherwise.

Refusing to trust his instincts, the young man decided to look through the footage again to clear his doubts. He soon flipped open the laptop to search through its archives until he found the video recording of their arrival.

After which, he set it to play and noted every detail diligently before he paused it at the moment when the group was turning towards the entrance. Withholding a nervous breath, Tadashi then zoomed in onto the purple-suited member's face, only to retreat in fear afterwards.

_No, it can't be…_He placed his hand over his mouth to cover his gasp. He quickly returned to the laptop to study the member's features again: they were a pair of brown eyes shaped like rounded almonds with thick black eyebrows lined above. He also had a small chubby nose and a small mouth below with thin lips that seemed to curve very subtly into a cocky smile.

Just like his brother.

_Correction: it is my brother! _Tadashi bit his lips as he recognised his face with dread. He soon felt his stomach lurching in panic, which caused a sickly sensation to rise towards his throat.

_This is bad, _he simply remarked. Even though he knew that Hiro's curiosity could not be stopped after his encounter with Callaghan, he had not expected him to actually find them on an island a few miles away from the city and endanger himself once more with a group of companions.

_Wait, who are his companions?_

Tadashi hurriedly shifted the cursor towards the faces of the other members before his eyes widened in sheer disbelief.

_Gogo? Wasabi? _His eyebrows creased in confusion. _No, the whole gang's there! How's this even possible?!_

Tadashi leaned back on his arms in incredulity. He could not understand how his friends had come to involve themselves, let alone even agree to help Hiro in the first place.

_This is getting insane,_ Tadashi grasped his hair before he felt his heartbeat climbing rapidly as it pounded loudly in his ears, and his breaths withering into short gasps for air. _Oh no, not this again!_

Tadashi placed his hand over his chest while trying to take deep breaths to endure this panic attack. It then took a moment until his heart finally relaxed its beat as it recovered from shock, allowing him to stand feebly and totter towards the door.

_I need to stop them quickly…_Tadashi thought. _Otherwise, Callaghan will_—"BOOM!"

The young man immediately froze upon hearing a loud crash in the distance.

_No…no…NO!_

Tadashi's knees gave way as he stared hopelessly at the door. He had acted too late to save them again, and now it seemed that they had been sent to their deaths for real.

_Why?_ He slammed the door with his fists repeatedly after a few seconds of silence. _Why hadn't I rushed to save them earlier? Why?!_

He went on to lie on the floor as he resigned himself to an angry sob. He hated himself so much for doing nothing to help them that he wished he could just die right away.

_Instead of them…_Tadashi gritted his teeth bitterly until he heard a sound. It was another crash that appeared to originate from the same place as the first, and this time, it was followed by shouts.

_What…was that?_ He looked up from the tear-stained floor. A hopeful glimmer soon began to form in his teary eyes. _Oh my God…could it be?_

Tadashi quickly crawled back to the laptop. He needed to see the live video footage to confirm his hopes. With an impatient groan, he opened the application and waited for it to load before it finally revealed a footage of the group facing a lone dark figure.

_Yes, it is! They are alive! _He gasped in joyful relief. The gang had survived the blow, and now they were about to fight against Callaghan.

_Wait, what?_ Tadashi blinked as he looked closely at the video footage. _They are actually going to fight Callaghan, out of all things? Why on earth would they do that?!_

His mouth gaped open. It was simply unbelievable.

He tried to figure out their motive as he continued to watch their actions. He soon saw Gogo racing across the hall agilely as she dodged each attack from Callaghan before she hurled a disc that nearly struck the mask off his captor's face, to Tadashi's astonishment.

_They're trying to disable his microbots!_ His eyes lit up excitedly as he realised their true intentions.

It was a brilliant plan. Without the mask, Callaghan would lose his ability to control the microbots and consequently be unable to carry out his plans. Then, everything could be resolved peacefully, and not a single drop of blood would be shed.

Tadashi felt a surge of pride and elation. His brother and friends had been brave in trying to stop Callaghan before he could do any harm, and he was now eagerly rooting for them as he watched the scene from afar.

_Watching from afar…_Tadashi's lips creased a little in a deprecatory smile. _That's right. All I could do now is to watch them fight while I hide myself somewhere far away. Useless me._

He clenched his fists in self-hatred before he saw his friends lying helplessly on the ground as Callaghan prepared his microbots to crush them.

_Oh no…!_ Panic pulsed through his body again, prompting Tadashi to turn towards the door in attempt to stop his captor until he caught a red blur distracting the latter's attention.

_Hiro!_ Tadashi grinned upon recognising the sight. His brother was riding on the back of the red giant as they flew around the space, skilfully dodging Callaghan's attacks in the midst.

He then watched them head towards the professor for a direct confrontation before the giant was intercepted by a large wave of microbots, causing his brother to fall onto Callaghan and knocking off his mask in the process.

_Hiro, no!_ Tadashi's eyebrows furrowed anxiously. He was worried that his brother was hurt or even scuffling with his captor after the fall. Hurriedly, he switched the camera to one that was closer to the scene before he sighed in relief.

_Thank God, he wasn't hurt..._The man's heart eased upon seeing his brother in an apparently fine state. He soon spotted the mask in his hands. _And he got the mask too!_

It was a success.

Tadashi let out a jubilant yell. _It worked! Callaghan can't do anything now, he has got to stop every—_

The young man suddenly stilled as his attention was drawn back to the laptop. A scene was unfolding in front of the camera: Callaghan had rose from his position and turned to engage Hiro in an apparent dialogue.

Tadashi proceeded to observe their facial expressions quietly, from which he tried to decipher their conversation.

_What is he telling him?_ He soon wondered. He witnessed Hiro's expression change from an initially surprised look to a disbelieving one that gradually darkened over time.

_This doesn't look good..._Tadashi told himself, his mind struck by an unsettling inkling, before he saw his brother's expression change again. This time, his mouth arched itself into a firm frown, and his eyebrows were knitted as he narrowed his eyes on Callaghan in a resentful stare.

It then dawned on Tadashi that his fear was about to come true.

_Oh God, no! Please don't let it happen!_ He pleaded in his heart. The last thing he had ever wanted to see was his brother being swallowed up by his own wrath as he tried to avenge his 'death'.

But luck decided to ignore his pleas. Tadashi continued to watch the footage with dread as Hiro apparently ordered the red giant to attack Callaghan. When the latter appeared to refuse, his brother proceeded to take out a green chip from a corner of the giant's chest and threw it away from them.

_Green chip? Is that Baymax?!_ Tadashi reeled back in shock. _He had been using Baymax to fight?!_

It was pure insanity. His brother had modified his friendly nursing robot into a fighting machine, and he was now using it to defeat Callaghan. Horrified, Tadashi stared at the screen as Hiro gave the same order to the giant again, causing it to aim its right fist towards the professor.

_NO!_ Tadashi immediately turned to bolt out of the room. _I have to stop him!_

He had to stop his brother from hurting anyone and ruining his own life, even if it meant sacrificing everything he had.

_Heck, I barely have anything left to lose! _The young man reminded himself as he hurriedly sprinted across a dimly-lit corridor, desperate to reach the hall in the nick of time to stop his brother's fury before it could do more harm.

He soon arrived in front of a thick steel door that led to his destination. With every ounce of strength, he tried to slide it open before it finally budged and left a gap big enough for him to pass through.

Then, Tadashi entered the hall, only to find his path obstructed by a heap of debris lying at what used to be the control centre. With a frustrated grunt, he quickly turned around to see Callaghan escape from the scene as the microbots hastily lifted the beam he was standing on into an opening on the ceiling.

_He's still…alive_.

Relieved, Tadashi bent down to catch his breath. It was a close call for both his brother and captor.

"How could you do that?! I had him!"

Tadashi blinked his eyes open as he heard Hiro shout angrily from below. He proceeded to crawl discreetly towards the edge of the platform to listen closely.

"We said we catch the guy. That's it." Gogo reiterated her stand firmly. To which, Hiro retorted, "I never should have let you help me! Baymax, find Callaghan!"

The robot responded though in a volume too low for Tadashi to hear properly. The boy then made an irritated groan before he positioned himself on Baymax's back.

"Wings!"

"Hiro, this isn't part of the plan—"

"FLY!" Hiro blatantly ignored Fred's argument as he took off with Baymax into the sky, leaving his companions stranded behind.

_Hiro…_Tadashi gazed at the disappearing remnants of a vapour trail before he quietly turned to lay on his back as he began to reflect over the entire saga with guilt.

_This is all my fault. _

-End of Chapter Fourteen-


	16. Chapter 15: Hatred

Chapter Fifteen

-Hatred-

Callaghan swore he had never been so fearful for his life until a few minutes ago.

He had thought that the boy would lose his will to fight against him after hearing the revelation like how his brother had. Yet it turned out to be the reverse as the boy ended up trying to kill him for revenge instead.

_Just like me._

Callaghan groaned as his conscience returned to taunt him. He took a moment to suppress his conflicting thoughts before with a resolved breath, he ordered his microbots to carry him away from his hiding spot and into the facility once more.

_I must find Tadashi quickly, _he told himself. _Time's already running out!_

He hurriedly drifted through the dark corridor in search for the man, his senses wary of his surroundings lest the group attacks him again. He soon sighted a door that was curiously left open ahead in his path. Following which, in a cautious move, he slowed the pace of the microbots to reduce their rustle as he made his way towards it before he turned his head over the edge to find Tadashi lying on a bed of rubble in the hall.

_What on earth is he doing there? _Callaghan raised an eyebrow in question. However, aware of his predicament, he decided to waste no time and commanded his microbots to swarm towards the man slowly.

After having the swarm to conceal the surprised man in its embrace, Callaghan ordered the microbots again to carry him behind while he strode towards the latter's room. After which, upon arriving at the decrepit room, he had the microbots to release their grasp immediately, causing the man to stumble forward and fall onto his hands.

"What on earth were you doing there, Tadashi?" Callaghan demanded to know. Tadashi however kept quiet as he tried to catch his breath.

Deciding that investigating further would only waste his time, Callaghan then changed his mind, "Never mind that, I need the chip right now! Where is it? It should be—"

"Are you sure you want to continue with it?"

Callaghan paused upon hearing those words. It took a moment for him to register them before he managed a reply with a hint of irate anger, "What do you mean by that?"

"Are you sure you still want your revenge, despite what happened just now?" Tadashi asked again, his voice cracking with despair as he looked up at the professor.

Callaghan wanted to snap back, but he found his throat seized by shock as his heart resonated quietly with his words. Seeing that the elder man was stunned, Tadashi continued to pour out his thoughts.

"Haven't you seen how much they have changed because of all of this? The gang…they weren't like that in the past. They used to be a practical and sensible bunch that wouldn't hurt anyone, yet…they are now fighting because they wanted to find out what really happened that night. That was what I heard from them after...the fight."

Tadashi bit his lips in sorrow as he recalled the fight.

"And Hiro…he wasn't like that too. The Hiro I knew was bright, innocent, and sometimes annoying, but now he had changed. He became a revenge-hungry monster because he didn't want me to simply disappear. Because of me…"

Callaghan remained quiet. He could feel his heart throbbing with guilt, yet he refused to acknowledge it. He rasped in return, "And what does that have to do with me?"

Tadashi stared at him sadly before he breathed.

"Because you were the one who changed at first." He lowered his gaze towards the floor, "After Abigail died, you became different. You became hateful and obsessed with revenge…and you no longer cared about people."

Callaghan's eyelid flickered for a second. He twitched his lips to argue, only to manage a shaky breath of air as his mind was attacked by his conscience again.

"Why?"

Tadashi watched his tears stain the dusty floor before he hugged his knees in resignation.

"Why did you want to have revenge so badly? You knew it would hurt others and yourself, yet…you still went ahead with it. You started a fire, stole an invention, tried to kill Hiro and the gang…and you lost yourself in your own hatred."

The professor's eyes widened at the last sentence.

_Lost in my own hatred…_He looked at his hands. _That's right, I was drowning myself in it. _

Hatred had changed him from a brilliant man to a devious criminal: it made him discard away his dignity and sensibility in exchange for a false sense of justice over his daughter's death. But that was not his fault.

"It was Krei's fault." He mumbled, "If he hadn't proceeded with the experiment, Abigail would have been alive…and none of these would have happened."

Tadashi contemplated over his words for the next moment until he broke the silence with a remorseful declaration, "No, it's my fault."

"What?" Callaghan blurted in surprise as he watched the young man tighten his fists in anger.

"If I had tried to stop you earlier, you wouldn't have continued your plans. You wouldn't have to drown yourself repeatedly in hatred, and you wouldn't have to kill Hiro and the gang," Tadashi explained before he gradually broke into tears again.

"If I hadn't run into the fire…" He croaked, "Everyone wouldn't be hurt like now."

Callaghan stared at him in sympathy. He confirmed that Tadashi was now fully broken in spirit, and his heart once again pleaded with him to stop his plans for good.

_But it's too late, _his mind reasoned. He had come too far to give up everything he had done for the moment he had anticipated not long ago, and the damage had already been dealt.

_There's simply no turning back for me. _

Callaghan took a breath as he resolutely set his mind on his quest once more before he stepped towards Tadashi and extended his right hand towards him.

"Give me the chip," he asked, to which Tadashi returned a hopeless stare.

"No, I will never give it to you."

"Hand it over now," the professor demanded coldly. Tadashi then took out the chip from a pocket, grasping it tightly in his right hand, before he raised his arm above his head.

"I shall take this chance to end this for once!" He declared as he prepared to fling it into the sea.

"NO!" Callaghan yelled. He instantly ordered the microbots to rush towards the man, pinning him against the wall before he could throw the chip away.

"GIVE IT TO ME!" The elder man gritted his teeth menacingly. However, Tadashi refused to obey as he tried to struggle against the black mass that had his arms and legs trapped in its grasp.

In return, Callaghan had one of the microbots—belonging to the variant designed by Tadashi—to stab its sharp end into Tadashi's forearm, forcing him to release the chip into the former's hands as he screamed loudly in pain.

"Don't you dare take things into your own hands, Mr Hamada," Callaghan hissed into his ears, "You may think that you're one who's at fault for everything, but that does not give you the right to decide where all of this is going to go."

He grabbed his shirt and yanked it forward, causing Tadashi to face him upfront.

"This is my quest and my tool," Callaghan held up the chip, "So I'm the one to decide what to do with them! In fact, I'm also the one who's deciding your fate, you ingrate. In case you forget, I have given you clothes, treated your wounds, fed your stomach and made sure you were safe!"

The professor continued to stare at the helpless man before his lips twisted into a sinister smile.

"Until now, of course." He tightened his clutch, "You have done everything as part of the deal, and with that bratty attitude of yours, you will be nothing more than a nuisance to me! So why don't you find out what's going to happen next?"

He pushed Tadashi back against the wall, after which, he commanded the microbots to crawl towards the man's neck.

"Professor—AARGH!" Tadashi suddenly felt his throat being squeezed.

"I can't hear you," Callaghan mocked as the microbots tightened their grasp on Tadashi's neck, turning his gasps into desperate whines for air. The latter tried to resist, knocking his arms and kicking his legs violently against them to break their hold, but the microbots did not even budge.

His eyes then widened in pain as he felt his lungs burning from a lack of air before convinced that his end was near, the man finally surrendered himself to fate.

_This is it,_ he thought, his vision slowly fading into darkness. _I guess this is really goodbye. _

Tadashi made a faint smile, noting how helpless he was even on the verge of death, before he closed his eyes. Then his body crashed onto the ground with a loud thud.

-End of Chapter Fifteen-

* * *

Author's Notes: To readers wondering if Tadashi died, please refer to Chapter 3 (Grey Walls).


	17. Chapter 16: Turning Back

Chapter Sixteen

-Turning Back-

"You told me he was still ALIVE!"

Hiro slammed his hands onto the table angrily before Callaghan could finish his tale.

"He is alive," the latter persisted. "He was merely unconscious after the strangling."

"Then what did you do with him after that?!" Hiro demanded impatiently, his eyes eyeing the perturbed man sharply. Callaghan hesitated for a moment before he gradually revealed, "I tied him up to make sure he couldn't escape, so that I can deal with him afterwards."

Hiro then fell silent at the revelation, after which he slumped back into his chair in thought.

"So he's on the island…" He eventually mumbled with little relief. Although it sounded more than convincing, Hiro could still hardly believe everything he had heard for the past fifty minutes—that his brother was alive all along, having been rescued by the same man who would try to kill them towards the end of the saga.

_It's just so surreal…_He recalled before realising that the tale could perhaps be his only hope, he quickly sprang from his seat and hurried towards the door. As his fingers grasped the knob, Hiro turned around to take a last glance at Callaghan. He then stopped to ponder whether he should ignore him or not before with a sigh, he began reluctantly.

"Callaghan…" He called, "I have a few things to say before I leave."

"And what are they?" The surprised man asked.

"Firstly, I still hate you for whatever you've done," Hiro replied frankly. "Especially after how you had broken Tadashi's spirit and tried to kill him."

Callaghan remained quiet as he sighed remorsefully in acknowledgement.

"Secondly," Hiro continued, "There's always a chance to turn back, no matter when. I know because I've been there. If it weren't for Baymax and the gang, I would probably still be the revenge-hungry monster Tadashi had seen that day."

The man smiled faintly, "You're right…I just…didn't realise it all along."

Hiro watched him shift his gaze towards himself in regret before with a breath, he finally admitted, "And lastly, even though I still hate you, I just want to at least say…thank you. For telling me everything."

Callaghan looked up in surprise at the boy, only to find his back turned towards him as the latter left to walk down the corridor in the company of the prison guards. He then returned his gaze back to himself before he smiled again, this time in gratitude.

_No, Hiro, _he thought, _thank you for giving me this chance to confess._

The door creaked open again as the guards stepped in to surround the man. "It's time to return to your cell."

Callaghan then took a deep breath before he slowly stood up and let himself be taken away.

* * *

Hiro had nearly cracked with impatience at the slow bureaucracy when he finally burst out of the prison's doors in relief. He then glanced around at his surroundings before he took out his phone and began to run after having decided on his plan.

"Baymax!" He shouted once the call was picked up, "I need you to suit up and meet me at the shore near San Quenara Prison!"

"But there seems to be no sign of—"

"It's something else!" Hiro cut in hurriedly, "Bring my suit along too!"

He hung up his phone and focused his energy into the run before he eventually reached the edge of the prison's parking lot that stood beside the blue sea. After which, he spent a few minutes waiting restlessly until he saw a red speck flying towards his direction in a distance.

"Baymax!" He waved frantically, to which the robot slowed down and landed in front of him with the purple suit in his hands.

"My sensors indicate that you are experiencing a high level of stress," Baymax reported while the boy rushed to don on his suit. "What seems to be the trouble?"

"It's Tadashi! He's—"Hiro had barely put on his helmet when the transmitter suddenly picked up a signal from the gang.

"Er Hiro, why is Baymax flying in its suit?" Gogo asked in her usual stoical tone, "I thought we weren't supposed to be in our suits unless we are out fighting."

"Gogo! I…" Hiro hesitated briefly before he decided to reveal, "I know this sounds crazy but I'm going to look for Tadashi now!"

"You what?"

"Callaghan told me everything! I'll explain later!" Hiro ended the conversation abruptly by switching off the transmitter before with a leap, he attached himself securely to the magnetic ports on Baymax's back and ordered.

"Baymax! Fly to Akuma Island!"

Baymax then spread its wings and launched off into the air as it began to fly towards their destination. As Hiro watched the city flash beneath them, he suddenly doubted his hopes.

_What if we were too late? _He swallowed nervously. It has been almost two weeks since Callaghan's arrest and with the latter having tied his brother up, there was no way Tadashi could reach for water or food to survive.

The boy tightened his grasp. _No, even if he's gone…I still have to find him._

Hiro suddenly felt the wind losing its strength as Baymax gradually reduced its thrust over the forested island. He then prepared himself for the landing which came seconds later when the robot touched down on the deserted grounds of the facility.

"What is our next course of action?" Baymax asked as Hiro leaped down from its back. The boy stared at the barren building quietly for a moment before he finally breathed.

"Baymax, scan for Tadashi."

The armoured robot immediately stood still while it scanned the facility for signs of his brother. Hiro clasped his hands anxiously in wait until he saw Baymax lifting its arm up to point at the building.

"Tadashi is in there," it revealed.

Hiro's eyes instantly widened with hope. He began to stride quickly towards the entrance with Baymax following closely behind.

"Let's find him," he gasped as he entered into the dark corridor.

"Based on the previous scan, Tadashi appears to be in a room located at the far left of the facility," Baymax advised.

"How do we get there?"

The robot pointed its finger towards a corridor on their right, "Based on my mapping on the last visit here, we can reach our intended destination by walking through this corridor, make a left turn and then continue walking towards the end."

"Then let's go!" Hiro began to sprint in the said direction.

As both of them made their way through the derelict place, Hiro could not help but feel his heart beating rapidly with anxiety and excitement as he anticipated the moment when he would finally meet his brother. He soon felt a firm grasp on his shoulders that stopped him from crashing onto a door.

"Tadashi is behind that door," Baymax confirmed. Following which, Hiro took a deep breath to calm his nerves before with a push, the door croaked open to reveal a body lying face-down beside a puddle of water.

"TADASHI!" Hiro screamed, rushing to toss the unconscious body over. Tadashi's hair was long and unkempt, his face gaunt with dirt, and his arms and legs were restrained tightly by ropes.

"My sensors indicate that Tadashi is suffering from starvation and a slight dehydration—"

"We need to bring him to the hospital quick!" Hiro interjected worriedly as he tried to cut off the ropes. When the ropes would not budge, the boy let out a frustrated grunt before he climbed onto Baymax's back and ordered again, "Baymax, carry Tadashi and bring us to the nearest hospital as fast as you can!"

The robot instantly picked up the feeble man in its arms and took off towards the towering skyscrapers across the bay. As Hiro watched the shoreline nearing, he took another glimpse at his brother.

_I'm not going to let you die this time!_ He clicked his tongue exasperatedly. He then continued to stare ahead at the city while his eyes teared with determination.

-End of Chapter Sixteen-


	18. Chapter 17: Heavy Heart

Chapter Seventeen

-Heavy Heart-

When Tadashi finally woke up, he thought he was in heaven.

A blinding light had enveloped his sight as he slowly opened his eyes, only to gradually fade away to reveal a cream-coloured room that smelled of antiseptic. Confused, Tadashi then moved his body slightly to find it lying on a soft bed instead of the cold hard concrete he had remembered.

_Where am I? _He wondered before he turned his head over to discover his left arm being attached to an IV drip, and a monitor that beeped softly to every peak of a continuous wave.

"Tadashi…?" A voice suddenly sounded from the other side of the bed, prompting the man to turn around to see his brother gazing hopefully at him.

"Hiro…" He managed a feeble reply; after which, his eyes broadened in surprise, "Hiro! When did you—?!"

"TADASHI!" The boy proceeded to interrupt as he hugged Tadashi tightly in excitement. It took a moment for the latter to recover from his astonishment before with a little hesitation, he returned a gentle caress on his brother's head.

"Where am I?" He finally asked after a minute of dazed silence.

Hiro answered, "You're in St. Francis Memorial Hospital!"

"Wait, what? how did I—?"

"Oh my God, Tadashi! You're finally awake!" A blonde woman suddenly exclaimed as she burst into the quiet room with a group of young adults who were all relieved to see Tadashi awake and well.

"Tadashi, my man! You're back!" One of the adults, a slender Caucasian man, went on to shout in joy while his burly African American counterpart added in a half-joking tone, "What took you so long? You're almost late!"

"Honey, Fred, Wasabi, Gogo…what's going on?" Tadashi looked at them confusedly, trying to figure out the strange situation he had awakened to.

"You were unconscious for the past two days, " a dark-haired woman revealed as she took out the chewing gum from her mouth and placed it neatly into a piece of tissue paper. "Hiro had rescued you from the island after Callaghan told him what he had done to you."

"Yeah! When we heard that he was going to save you, we thought Hiro had finally lost his mind!" Fred added on to Gogo's explanation, "But when we reached the hospital, we saw you! And you weren't exactly in a…good shape."

"The doctors told us that you were unconscious from starvation and dehydration," Honey Lemon frowned at the memory, her eyes tracing the wounds on his arms. "They also said that you were lucky to reach the hospital in time, otherwise it would have been worse…"

A veil of silence fell upon the room, as her words trailed into the air, until Wasabi questioned curiously, "Anyway, what happened after the strangling? I mean, how did you manage to survive for two weeks while being tied up?"

Tadashi took a moment to recall his memories before he began, "I don't know. When I woke up, Callaghan was already gone."

He then stared at the faint marks on his wrists, "He had tied me up and left a bowl of water in front of me, so I drank from the bowl while trying to free myself. The water didn't last anyway…I tipped the bowl over and caused it to roll off days later...and then I eventually gave up."

"Tadashi…" Hiro gave a sympathetic stare before he sat beside his brother, "I know how you feel. Callaghan told me everything, including how you told him you saw…Mom and Dad died, and how that changed you to become…you."

Tadashi began to tremble at the thought. He gripped the blankets tightly as he bit his lips anxiously.

"Don't worry, we can talk things out," the boy grasped the man's hands. "Everything will be fine—"

"No, it won't be."

Hiro stared at his brother in astonishment as the latter slipped his hands away from his grasp.

"I have been lying to everyone including myself," Tadashi breathed. "I thought I could make my way through willpower alone, to help and protect people around me…yet it turned out I was wrong."

The gang stared concernedly at him until Honey Lemon broke the silence.

"Tadashi," she began, "You should know that we are always there for you. You shouldn't keep things to yourself if they are hurting you."

"Yeah, you don't have to push yourself too hard," Fred quickly supported her words. "I used to be alone and—"

"This is DIFFERENT!" Tadashi growled in disagreement, stunning the group into immediate silence. He then gasped as he realised his mistake before he looked away in shame.

"I'm sorry, but I just can't...continue living like this." He mumbled, "I failed to help them, even though I was watching them die…I failed to stop Callaghan from proceeding with his plans, even though I knew it was wrong…and I failed to come to your help when he was hurting all of you."

The man proceeded to grit his teeth in self-resentment, after which, he muttered softly, "Please leave."

"No, Tadashi, I won't—"

"Please LEAVE!" Tadashi shouted to a defiant Hiro, which shocked the latter and prompted Gogo to jump to the boy's defence.

"TADASHI!" She reprimanded sharply as she strode angrily towards him, "This is not the way to treat your saviour, let alone your brother!"

"Just leave me alone!" The man wailed desperately, his eyes welling with frustrated tears, "I couldn't protect everyone I love, even help myself like how I used to think I could! Everything I did will only end up hurting us…like that night. The car crash, the fire, the fight…"

Gogo watched him cry in despair. She then grabbed Hiro's arm and turned towards the door.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Wasabi asked in surprise.

"You heard the man," Gogo crisply replied. "We are leaving."

"To where?! Ugh, Gogo!" An exasperated Wasabi then turned to rush towards the duo, leaving Fred and Honey Lemon staring quietly at a broken Tadashi.

"Let's go, Fred," Honey Lemon finally told her friend after a while as she stood up and made her way out of the room. Turning around to close the door, she took a glance at Tadashi before with a heavy heart, she said hesitantly, "Tadashi...just to let you know that if you ever need a listening ear, you can always call us. We will be there."

Honey Lemon watched the man turn his back towards her. She then pulled the door to a reluctant close. After hearing the door clicked loudly, Tadashi proceeded to gaze at the skyscrapers outside of the hospital tearily before he buried his face in his hands as he continued to sob, wishing that he had never been rescued.

-End of Chapter Seventeen-


	19. Chapter 18: Hiding Feelings

Chapter Eighteen

-Hiding Feelings-

After the episode, the group remained silent about the visit.

They travelled in Wasabi's van to a Victorian-styled building that sat at the edge of a bustling junction. They then disembarked to enter into its lively Lucky Cat Café where they would seat themselves at the last table beside a large parlour window as usual.

"Oh hi guys! How was the visit?" Aunt Cass greeted enthusiastically as she bobbed over to the table, only to be confused by a gloomy air hanging over the frowning members.

"Did something go wrong…?" She proceeded to ask, her arms hugging the menus against her chest in worry.

"It's Tadashi," Hiro eventually mumbled.

"Why? What happened?" Aunt Cass pulled a spare chair over to listen.

"Tadashi…he's…" Hiro began hesitantly when Gogo decided to take over to ease his distress. "Tadashi's blaming himself for everything he had done. He thought it was his fault for putting us in danger and grief."

"That sounds like him being himself," Aunt Cass sighed in resignation. "I guess I'll go and have a talk with him later at night."

"But Aunt Cass…there's something else too," Hiro added worriedly to her notice. "It's about him having seen Mom and Dad…died."

"Oh…that." Aunt Cass creased her lips slightly as she contemplated the words quietly. She soon made her decision and stood up from her chair, "I'll talk with you about it, but first let me get something nice for all of you to drink."

"Thanks, Cass…" Honey Lemon smiled softly before the woman walked towards the back of the counter to prepare a few cups of herbal tea. After placing the cups and a few pieces of macarons on a tray, she made her way back to the table where she would lay the tray's contents down in front of a grateful group.

"Sweet macarons! Thanks for the treat, Cass!" Fred cheered up instantly while Wasabi proceeded to ask, "Aren't you busy with work? If you are, then you don't have to do this for us."

"No, it's alright. I have a helper anyway, and this is more important," Aunt Cass waved it off with an acknowledging smile.

"So, what exactly are you going to tell us?" Gogo asked next.

"Well…" The woman took a sip of tea before she began slowly, "I think it's just unfortunate that he had to see everything on that night."

Hiro lifted his head from the table, "What actually happened?"

"A driver was speeding down the streets, but he lost control and crashed into your parents' car," she recounted. "The force was so strong that their bodies were crushed instantly, and it happened at the junction near where you used to live."

"And Tadashi happened to see it?"

"Not exactly, he was alerted by the loud crash, and so he rushed down to find the wreckage…and their bodies too." The woman paused for a moment as she took another sip, before she continued, "At least that was what I heard from one of the policemen. I thought Tadashi would be disturbed by the sight at most, but I didn't expect he would blame himself for it."

"Did Tadashi become… strange after the accident?" Honey Lemon's eyebrows knitted in concern.

"He was…quiet for a few weeks," Aunt Cass admitted. "Until one day, he suddenly calmed down and became helpful, cheery like how he used to be when he was with his parents. It made me a bit uneasy at first because I felt that he was hiding something, though the feeling gradually lessened…"

She then turned towards Hiro with her lips curved in a loving smile, "That's why I was so worried about you when Tadashi passed away. I thought you might shove it away, just like what your brother did."

"Aunt Cass…" Hiro smiled back, following which, he let out a troubled sigh, "What should I do? I mean, he took care of me for so long and I never knew he was…hurt inside."

"I think we should come along with you. At least we can get to understand him better," Honey Lemon suggested.

"Oh don't worry!" Aunt Cass declined with a soft chuckle, "You don't have to come. In fact, I've wanted to talk with him alone about this for a long time, especially since I'm the only one whom he can connect with about his parents."

Hiro watched her eyes glisten subtly with sadness as she proceeded to gaze at her cup of tea quietly. After which, she carefully placed the cup on its cup plate and turned towards him.

"Speaking of which, you can't remember how your parents are like, can you Hiro?"

-End of Chapter Eighteen-


	20. Chapter 19: Not Alone

Chapter Nineteen

-Not Alone-

Tadashi honestly had not expected anyone to come. When he heard the door knob twist open, he turned around in surprise to find Aunt Cass entering the room with a small handbag slung across her body and an endearing smile worn on her face.

"Hi, Tadashi." She greeted softly.

"Hi, Aunt Cass..." He replied.

"I've brought your favourite cookies for you," Aunt Cass took out a box from the handbag to his notice. She then walked towards a table, placed the box on it and sat down beside him on his bed.

"Thanks, Aunt Cass," Tadashi managed a faint grateful smile. The woman gazed at him quietly for a moment before she slowly reached out to caress his large ears and cheeks that were slightly thin from malnourishment.

"You must have been through a lot, Tadashi," she whispered. "I'm sorry for not being to do anything to make you feel better after this."

"It's not your fault…" Tadashi looked away from her, "I should be the one to apologise, for having caused so much trouble in the first place."

"Tadashi…"

"Hiro told you about it, didn't he?" He asked half-assuredly.

"Yes, he did," Aunt Cass admitted. "But even if he didn't, I would still want to talk to you about it because I have always wondered for a long time."

"About what?" Tadashi raised his eyebrows slightly in curiosity. Aunt Cass took a deep breath before she revealed, "You were doing this because of your parents, right?"

The man felt his heart swelling strangely in agreement. His mouth opened to speak, yet there were no words as he could think of anything to deny it.

"Looks like I'm right."

"No, it's not! I mean…" Tadashi tried to argue with Aunt Cass, who simply gave a knowing smile towards his situation.

"Don't lie to me, Tadashi. You already know that you're a horrible liar," she said as she looked down at her clasped hands on her lap sadly. "When you suddenly became calm, helpful and cheerful one day, after being depressed for a few weeks, I instantly felt that something was off."

Aunt Cass shifted her sight to meet Tadashi's confused eyes, "You didn't want to disappoint them like how you thought you had on that night, and so you forced yourself to be who you are today, am I right?"

"No, Aunt Cass! I was doing this because…I hate feeling helpless," Tadashi told her. "I did nothing, but just stand there and watched them die...I hate myself. If I had rushed to help them...at least they would have a chance to live."

"You're lying again."

"I'm not! I swear-!"

"Yes, you are!" Aunt Cass pointed it out flatly, "You don't just hate the feeling of helplessness. You want to get rid of the delusional guilt you have in your heart for not being able to do anything that night. You want to avoid your fear of disappointing your parents again because of what they have taught you."

Tadashi fell silent over the revelation. He swallowed his throat nervously and clutched onto the bed sheets tightly as he tried to endure the hard blow her words had made on him. Seeing this, Aunt Cass leaned towards him and placed her hand gently onto his.

"Listen, sweet-heart," she began. "I've never blamed you for not trying to help them. In fact, no one would blame you for that. The scene was too…terrifying for anyone to see...that it's natural for a person to be stunned and just stand there, watching it happen in front of him. Even I couldn't bear to see their bodies at the mortuary. It was too gruesome for me…to see my brother and his wife gone…in such a painful way."

Aunt Cass twitched her lips uncomfortably in recount before she slowly grasped his hand.

"That's why you should know you are not alone, sweet-heart," she assured. "I felt shocked and sad over their deaths, too. Josh…was a great and loving brother to me, just how you were to Hiro. That's one of the reasons why I was so worried about Hiro because I knew he would feel the pain in the same way as me like that night. I could imagine how terrifying your death would be to him."

"Aunt Cass…" Tadashi managed a mumble in empathy. He looked at her sadly as he continued to listen, his mind at loss of what to do.

"The other reason…" Aunt Cass resumed, "…was that I was afraid Hiro would shove it away, just like you. Do you have any idea how afraid I was during those weeks after your passing, when Hiro was very depressed? I had to make sure he doesn't starve, or do anything ridiculous to himself, or trying to become...like you. You know what I mean."

She then clasped his hand in both of hers, her eyes gazing into his.

"So please, sweet-heart…" She begged, "Please be honest with me and yourself for once, and tell me if you were doing this for your parents."

"…I don't know," Tadashi admitted truthfully. "I really don't know, Aunt Cass. All I know is that I didn't help them because I was scared…and weak. I never wanted this to happen again, to hurt or lose someone because of what I did. I thought I could deal with anything after their deaths. I thought I could stop it from happening again when I ran into the fire...But I never knew it would lead to all of this…and how weak and scared I still am inside."

"Tadashi…" Aunt Cass let out an acknowledging breath before she embraced him, to his surprise.

"That just shows how much you had been trying to erase your 'guilt' away, sweet-heart," she told him. "You are afraid to let anything like this happen again because of the guilt you'd created in your heart after doing nothing to help your parents that night. That's why you tried to help people whenever you can, even to the point of running into a fire to save your professor, because by doing that, you can gradually erase that 'guilt' away."

Tadashi made a soft gasp as he finally realised the subconscious truth behind his actions.

"And that point you said about how you thought you could deal with anything after their deaths…" Aunt Cass continued to explain, "The thought itself was actually caused by your fear. Your fear of not being the person your parents have taught you to be, which is to be kind and strong."

She then caressed his back endearingly to soothe his heart, "You don't have to do this, sweet-heart. I'm sure Josh and Hiroko are glad that you've tried to do something, but now it's time for you to let go. They wouldn't want you and Hiro…to feel sorry for what happened to them. We all know that it's beyond our control."

Tadashi felt his chest tighten as he struggled to hold back his tears.

"So sweet-heart..." Aunt Cass said, "Please let go of them. Pour your feelings out, and know that you are not alone. I'll be there for you, even though I may not be as close to your heart as your parents. Because I understand how you feel, I-!"

"Aunt Cass!" She felt the man squeezing her arms tightly as he began to sob remorsefully.

"I'm so sorry," Tadashi confessed, "….for whatever I've done for the past ten years. For hiding everything deep within my heart, for thinking that I'm…alone."

The woman kept quiet for a few moments before she smiled understandingly.

"It's alright, sweet-heart," she told him. "Everyone will be overwhelmed by grief at some point in their lives, so always remember you are not the only one out there feeling this way. And that no matter what happens, keep moving forward. Don't let it hold you back."

She then looked up at the night sky above the brightly-lit skyscrapers outside of the windows.

_Am I right, Joshua?_

-End of Chapter Nineteen-


	21. Chapter 20: After All

Chapter Twenty

-After All-

_So this is Mom…and Dad_.

Hiro thought as he tried to recognise the couple within the photograph in his grasp. His eyes at first fell on the young slender woman whose straight black hair fell over her shoulders, and her lips that curved warmly in a smile as she watched the infant cradled in her arms lovingly.

Then his sight shifted towards her tall husband beside, whose appearance and build would have resembled Tadashi's if not for his bushy crop of black hair and a larger pair of eyes that glowed brightly at his child as he wrapped his arm around his wife's waist.

"Joshua and Hiroko with their first child…" Hiro flipped the photograph over to read the words behind when he suddenly heard footsteps coming in from the direction of the staircase.

"I knew you'll be awake," Aunt Cass smiled knowingly as she came into view before making her way to sit beside the quiet boy.

"Aunt Cass…" Hiro began, "I wish I knew them."

"Hiro…" Aunt Cass gazed at him tenderly. After which, with a breath, she recounted, "Well, your father was a great man. He was kind and calm, never angry without a reason, and he was incredibly smart, too."

The woman then chuckled a little to herself, "You can say he's got the Hamada brains! He met your mother while they were in college and after that, they dated for a few years before they decided that they were truly meant for each other and got married."

"How was Mom like?"

"Your mother…" Aunt Cass paused for a moment as she tried to recall her impression, "I thought she was pretty, to be frank. Joshua always told me how much he loved her spirit though, that she was gentle yet strong-willed, and believed in doing things for the greater good."

"I see…" Hiro turned to stare at the photograph in silence, to which Aunt Cass sighed in worry.

"Hiro, you don't have to blame yourself for not knowing them," she placed her hand onto his. "You were only three when they passed away in that accident."

"But I want to help Tadashi!" Hiro argued, "I…I just can't leave him helpless and alone."

Aunt Cass became quiet upon hearing his words before she proceeded to hug him.

"Look, sweet-heart," she told him. "Tadashi said he's helpless because he thought no one can understand how he feels. But I do, that's why I went over to talk to him about it."

"And what did he say?"

"Well, he now knows that he has to get over it. His past, I mean," Aunt Cass caressed his head softly. "All he needs is some time and support to recollect himself, just like you during his 'passing'."

She then retreated from her hug and placed her hands onto his shoulders, "That's why you don't have to do anything yet. I understand you want to help because of all the things he did for you and that you love him as your only brother, but for now we have to let him recover alone."

Hiro contemplated her words before he eventually let out a heavy breath, "Alright, but can I do something like talking to him even for a while? I want to help a little, at least."

"What do you want to tell him?" Aunt Cass asked. The boy then leaned over to whisper in her ear, leading her to think carefully over his words for a few moments until she nodded with an approving smile.

"Sure, but don't take too long," she said. "I'll drive you there tomorrow at nine in the morning."

"Sweet. Thanks, Aunt Cass." Hiro proceeded to give a surprising soft kiss on her cheek before he launched himself off the bed and walked towards the staircase, "I'm going down to get a drink."

"Alright…" Aunt Cass watched him disappear gradually from the room. She soon turned around to find the photograph lying lazily on the bed.

_Joshua…_She picked it up and looked closely at her brother's face. _I miss you and Hiroko so much. I wish both of you can be here to see how much your children have grown. And how I had done the impossible, too: taking care of them!_

She chuckled softly to herself before she composed herself again, as she began to recall her memories for the past decade and a few months.

_To be frank, when both of you left me, I was really worried that I couldn't take care of them. I'd always thought I'm poor with children because of the way I am, and I know I haven't been able to be there for them as much as I should..._

She then shifted her sight towards the sleeping infant in Hiroko's arms, to which she smiled softly.

_But I'm glad I did it after all. I love them as much as if they were my own children, and I hope you and Hiroko can finally be at ease._

-End of Chapter Twenty-


	22. Chapter 21: Rule Zero

Chapter Twenty One

-Rule Zero-

"I'll be waiting at the cafeteria below. Look for me once you're done, alright?"

Hiro turned around to a concerned Aunt Cass, who was watching him leave the elevator quietly, before he smiled softly.

"Alright, Aunt Cass." He returned a knowing gaze to her until the elevator doors finally closed, sealing off their sight of each other. After which, he let out a nervous breath.

_How should I say it to him?_ He thought as he proceeded to walk down the long, quiet corridor. He had already decided on what he wanted to say after spending the whole night thinking about it, yet the fear of another breakdown from Tadashi continued to keep him in doubt.

_Should I do it after all…?_ He questioned his heart before he shook the thought away in his head. _No, I should! It's something he has to hear…after everything. _

Hiro looked up from his feet in a self-conscious moment to find himself nearing Tadashi's ward. Then, with a little hesitation, he tiptoed over to the window and peered into the sun-lit room to discover his brother apparently asleep.

That at first led him to think of returning on another day, but after a moment's consideration, he eventually decided to go ahead with his plan, reasoning that he could wait for his brother to wake up instead. With a breath, he then walked towards the door and opened it slowly before making his way towards Tadashi's bed where he would seat himself carefully on its edge.

"Morning, Tadashi…" He greeted softly as he looked at his brother. When the anticipated silence greeted him back, he proceeded to shift his sight towards his clasped hands on his lap.

"I saw Mom and Dad in the photograph…" Hiro began after a few moments of silence, figuring that he could use the wait to run through his words, "Funny that it's the first time I saw their faces. I never knew how they looked like, what they were like, and how much they mean to you...until now."

"I've been so selfish, thinking that you would always be there for me no matter where I go. I've been so ignorant to think that you were just born loving, kind, and positive when it was actually caused by what you saw ten years ago…when Mom and Dad died."

Hiro then made a little smile, "That's why I now realised that you're right. I am a bonehead at this kind of stuff. Never think about what my actions would cause for others. Never even bothered to care for once about how people are feeling and why, too. I really am an idiot at this despite being a genius."

The boy turned to look at his brother again, who coincidentally turned his head away from the former in his sleep.

"And because of that…" Hiro frowned, returning his sight to himself as he felt his heart sinking in guilt, "You were hurt even more. You had to constantly worry about me; about how you might experience the same pain you've felt ten years ago if you could not protect me in time…"

He paused to catch a breath before he confessed with remorse, "I'm sorry…I'm really sorry for not knowing that earlier, and for not trying to change myself before you became broken like now. If I had, it wouldn't be as bad…I—!"

"Hiro…"Hiro stiffened in surprise as he suddenly felt a pair of strong arms embracing him from behind.

"It's not entirely your fault…" Tadashi told him gently while nuzzling his shoulder, "I should have told you how I felt, about you, Mom and Dad, and everything that had happened in the past when I had the chance to…"

"I shouldn't have kept quiet about it. I shouldn't have thought that you and Aunt Cass didn't need to know anything at all. And I shouldn't have pushed myself for trying to be the best family I could be…because of a blame I put onto myself for an accident that wasn't even my fault to begin with."

Hiro took a while to register his words before he managed to ask dazedly, "How long have you been listening…?"

"Ever since you opened the door, knucklehead," Tadashi chuckled softly. "You weren't the quietest person on Earth like always."

The man tightened his embrace before he proceeded to rest his head closely beside his brother's ear, "I'm sorry, Hiro. I'll never push myself too hard again. I'll never keep everything to myself, thinking that I should bear the pain alone again. I'll never leave you and Aunt Cass in the dark, in danger and in sadness once more. Because I love both of you, the only family I'm left with…"

"…Promise?"

"What?" Tadashi blinked curiously as Hiro stood up and turned to face him with teary eyes.

"Do you promise everything you've just said?" Hiro asked again, offering his pinkie to his brother, "Do you? Because I will, no matter what happens. I don't want anything to happen to you again, and I don't want to lose you like that night…"

The man looked at him silently for a moment before he smiled and hooked his pinkie around Hiro's.

"Yes, I do," Tadashi vowed resolutely. "I promise."

The boy then broke into a wide smile and lunged at Tadashi for another embrace.

"I missed you so much, Dashi…" He cried as he landed onto his chest.

The latter caressed his head lovingly, "I missed you too, Hiro. Rule zero…"

Hiro grinned knowingly before he went on to complete the sentence in a breath.

"The Hamada brothers never leave each other behind."

-End of Story-

* * *

Author's Notes: Read on for the three-part Epilogue.


	23. Epilogue Part 1: Move On

Epilogue Part One

-Move On-

"So that's pretty much what happened behind the entire saga?"

The slender brunette smiled softly as she proceeded to refill her cup with warm Jasmine tea in front of the Hamada brothers who were seated on a couch in her living room.

"Pretty much," Tadashi affirmed. "It's been a really dramatic and emotional ride, though the ending's kind of cheesy, to be honest."

"Hey, you're the one who started it! It could have been a simple reunion!" Hiro protested before the woman chuckled in apparent amusement.

"Well, I'm glad both of you have managed to pull through," she said, placing her cup onto the coffee table gently. "Especially you, Tadashi. You'd been through so much pain and distress because of that trauma you had in the past…and with my father, too."

"Abigail…" Tadashi frowned a little in concern.

"Do you mind letting me see your scars? Those on your arms, at least," Abigail asked, her eyes quickly shifting away from them to her clasped hands on her lap.

The brothers looked at each other for a moment as they contemplated her request before the elder decidedly rolled up his sleeves to reveal faint ugly patches of pink on his fawn arms. After which, he twisted his right arm to show a more defined mark that resulted from the microbots' stab. Abigail then examined the scars quietly.

"I see…" She finally mumbled after a while, her voice tingeing with slight disbelief.

"It's not what you think, Abigail," Tadashi hurriedly told her. "Professor Callaghan…had his troubles as well. He's human after all. And besides, if he hadn't treated my burns after the fire, they could have been much worse, too."

"I know," she sighed. "I just wanted to see how much of a monster he was when he was swallowed up by his fury...because of what happened to me."

"Abigail…"

Abigail kept quiet as she delved into her thoughts until with a deep breath, she revealed, "Actually, I kind of expected my father to become depressed, or even insane if I were to never return from the portal. I know I was precious to him as his only family, and because of that, I felt guilty for volunteering for the presentation without a thought for him."

"But…I never thought he would try to exact revenge. It was beyond me. I was so shocked to see him arrested that I told myself it was a hallucination, an ill effect of being trapped inside the alternate dimension for too long. It only became reality for me when the police told me about his actions when they visited me in the hospital."

She took a sip of her tea before she resumed her confession, "Now I don't know what to say or how I should react if I meet him again. I don't know if I should feel angry, disappointed, or sorry for him, or with myself."

"Abigail…" Hiro began, "It's not your fault. You didn't know that the presentation would go awry and caused you to disappear. No one would have known that too, except for Krei and the people at the control centre, at least."

"And it's not your dad's fault as well. I mean, well, he's _technically_ at fault for letting his fury get to his head, but still he didn't do it because he really wanted to hurt anyone. Even his revenge plot didn't involve killing Krei, or anyone else."

"Yeah," Tadashi agreed. "He only did it because he loved you so much that he lost himself after Krei caused you to disappear for no good reason. I understand how you feel. I could not believe he would do something horrible like stealing and setting the hall on fire without a care for others at first, too. It was scary and unthinkable of him back then."

He went on to grasp Abigail's right hand with a reassuring smile, "So don't worry, alright? All of us have gone through this together…let's get over it and move on, okay?"

Abigail thought over his words before she returned Tadashi's grasp and smiled, "Alright. Thank you for reassuring me. I guess both of you are right; I shouldn't dwell on it for too long."

"It's alright, Abigail," Tadashi sat himself back on the couch. "I'll be there to help if you need me."

"Yup, me too!" Hiro added, "Though to be honest, I'm still a little bummed over Prof—"

"Hiro!" The man snapped in exasperation at his pouting brother, which caused Abigail to chuckle again at the humorous sight.

"Anyway," she said after calming herself down, "there's a lot of stuff I need to catch up on as well. Time passes really fast in this world. It's actually thanks to the alternate dimension being outside of time that I'm able to survive till today."

"How did Krei Tech create that alternate dimension?" Hiro raised an eyebrow in curiosity while taking a bite off a piece of cookie in his hands.

"Well, that's a secret," Abigail told him. "Speaking of which, I'll be resigning from Krei Tech too."

"Really?" Tadashi blurted in surprise.

"Yup, I decided it's not the kind of place I want to work in for quite some time," she explained. "And now that the news has gotten out, some research companies and institutes have sent me job offers, so I'm currently arranging dates with them and preparing for the interviews."

"That's great, Abigail," Tadashi replied as he placed his empty cup onto the table. "Meanwhile, nothing from Krei...yet?"

"I heard he's having a terrible time, but I'll probably be receiving compensation from him soon," Abigail shrugged, taking another sip of her tea. "How about you, Tadashi? What are you planning to do?"

"Well, the SFIT has granted me a month to recover from my injuries, so I won't be presenting my project at the annual graduation showcase," he recalled. "Instead, I'll be presenting it to a small group of examiners and guests on a separate date. I'll still be able to graduate on time though."

"I see, so you'll be working on your project in the meantime?"

"Probably just do some fine-tuning since it's already completed..." Tadashi then gave a slightly irritated stare at his brother, "_Provided_ it does not receive any target tracking, weapons control and evasive manoeuvring abilities, and whatever a _medical robot _does not require.

"Hey, they're all stored in a separate chip from yours, knucklehead!" Hiro retorted while slipping a piece of cookie into his mouth, "And you've to admit Baymax works fine as a crime-fighter. He helped saving both of you, thanks to my genius commands and works on him!"

"Erm Hiro, in case you haven't heard _clearly_, it's a medical robot! And my graduation project too, for heaven's sake!"

"Oh stop being a stick in the mud, Dashi! Anything can become anything! I already promised I'll only use him when I need him. And it's a 'he', not an 'it'!"

"Alright, alright! Just don't…do anything else dangerous with him, okay?" Tadashi let out a resigned sigh before Abigail burst into laughter.

"Both of you are so cute!" She remarked, causing both brothers to blush slightly with embarrassment. "Makes me wish that I had a sibling."

"Until you find out one is a worrisome goody-two-shoes."

"And the other is an impulsive brat who can't use that big brain of his."

Abigail looked on in amusement before she turned around and frowned, "Oh it's already five. Both of you are going somewhere after this, right?"

"Yup!" Hiro rose from his seat, "We're going to have dinner with Aunt Cass. She's been very excited about it since Tadashi will be home today."

"Would you like to join us, Abigail? She wouldn't mind having a guest over too," Tadashi asked as Abigail walked over to pull open the door for them.

"Oh I would love to! It beats eating take-out bento meals at home alone," she replied, "but I guess I'll have to join all of you on another day. I still have things to sort out."

"Alright then," Hiro acknowledged, "Just remember to give us a call whenever you're free for dinner!"

"And when you need help, too." Tadashi chimed in.

The woman simply nodded cheerily before she proceeded to hug Tadashi, "Thank you so much for coming. It's been such a great time talking with both of you. I feel better now."

"It's alright, Abigail," the latter returned a knowing smile, "I'm glad to hear that from you."

Abigail then bent down for another hug with Hiro, "And thank you so much once again for rescuing me. I'm sorry that I really don't know how I should thank you proper."

"It's okay," Hiro assured before he leaned in to whisper in her ears, "but if you really want to, maybe you can go bot-fighting with me as thanks? When you're free, of course."

She grinned back, "Sure, but don't underestimate me! I'm known for giving a good beating in my bot-fighting days!"

"Did I just hear bot-fighting?" Tadashi's eyebrows arched in suspicion, his arms folded across his chest. Hiro quickly pulled back with a cheeky smile.

"Don't worry, Tadashi. I'll bring him to a legal one," Abigail assuaged his fears as she stood up, following which, she waved to them. "Alright, see you again soon!"

"Bye, Abigail!" The brothers returned the wave.

Abigail then watched them turn around to walk down the bustling street before she returned back into her house with new-found determination to move on with her life.

-End of Epilogue Part One-


	24. Epilogue Part 2: Welcome Back

Epilogue Part Two

-Welcome Back-

When the brothers arrived home, they were puzzled to find it dark and empty.

"That's strange," Hiro remarked as he closed the door, "Aunt Cass should be cooking by now."

"Maybe she's still busy getting the ingredients," Tadashi suggested while his eyes eagerly reacquainted themselves with the cosy furnishings. "Let's head up and wait for her then, shall we?"

"Sure," Hiro replied before they made their way towards the living room above, where they would stumble in surprise when a group of voices suddenly erupted around them.

"Surprise! Welcome back, Tadashi!" The darkness faded away to reveal the gang showering confetti upon them with wide grins on their faces.

"Woah, guys! This is really…amazing," Tadashi exclaimed as he looked around at the party décor in wide-eyed awe. He then turned towards his equally astonished brother with an assuming smile, "Oh come on, Hiro! You can stop pretending now! You knew about this all along, didn't you?"

"No, I didn't! I swear—"

"Yeah, he didn't," Gogo affirmed while sweeping flecks of glitter off her hair. "It would have been too obvious on his face if we told him. It seems like honesty is a thing of the Hamadas, after all."

"Yeah, right," Hiro folded his arms across his chest.

"But that's not important right now! Tadashi's finally back with us, so we should celebrate with a—"

"GROUP HUG!" Fred interrupted Honey Lemon with a loud cry before he ran over to hug an unsuspecting Tadashi tightly, causing everyone else to laugh as they proceeded to join them for a quiet moment.

"Guys…" Tadashi began warmly after a while, "Thank you so much for doing this for me. It feels really good to be back."

"Of course, why wouldn't you, knucklehead?" Gogo threw a soft punch at his chest, "We're just as glad to have you back, too. The lab became different when you were gone."

"The _sad_ kind of different…it just felt like some of the energy and fun was missing," Fred added a little dejectedly.

"I know, I'm sorry for that," Tadashi's lips creased slightly, "…and for that day at the hospital, too. I was quite messed up back then."

"It's alright, Tadashi. We understand what you were going through at that time," Honey Lemon assured him with a smile. "Just let us know next time when you need someone to talk to about your problems, okay?"

"Yeah, instead of keeping everything to yourself and then raging it out in the most inappropriate situation! That was totally not cool," Wasabi admitted half-jokingly.

"Alright, alright," Tadashi rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "I'll remember that."

"Remember what?" Aunt Cass suddenly appeared with a tray of delectable treats in each of her hands, "What did I miss while I was away making these?"

"Cream puffs and fruit tarts!" Fred exclaimed amidst a wave of soft gasps.

"And a lot more waiting at the café below! I'll need a few hands to help me carry them up here," she told them as she placed the trays at the counter.

"Oh, we can help!" Honey Lemon quickly led a confused Fred towards the staircase, "Gogo and Wasabi should come along with us, too!"

"Do we really need that many people to help out?"

"Well, I guess we can have _someone_ to watch over their family reunion, so that we can know how touching it was later on," Gogo said while walking over to join the duo, which prompted a slightly annoyed Wasabi to follow suit.

After which, she waved to the Hamadas, "We'll be back in a minute or two."

"Thank you, guys!" Aunt Cass watched them leave before she walked towards his older nephew and hugged him with a suppressed squeal of joy.

"Welcome back, sweet-heart!" She whispered as she kissed his cheeks, "It's been a long time since you were home."

Tadashi smiled tenderly, "Thanks, Aunt Cass. I really missed this place so much…"

"Erm guys, just in case you haven't noticed, I'm right here!" Hiro waved his hands.

"Oh we know, Hiro, we know!" Aunt Cass acknowledged with a laugh. Following which, she grasped the boy's hands and gently pulled him into the embrace, "I'll never forget both of my favourite boys…I love you two."

"We love you too," the brothers replied.

The woman's smile broadened for a few moments before with a quiet breath, she finally relaxed her arms and retreated back, "So I guess with this…life's back to the way it was for us?"

"Yeah," Tadashi answered, "though it'll be different in some ways."

"Of course it'll be, after all that drama we'd been through!" Hiro added.

Aunt Cass nodded in agreement, after which she pulled them in closely for another embrace.

"I want to let both of you know that wherever you are, you're always in my heart," she told them, "and whenever you're down, angry, or had just been through a bad day, you can always let me know. I'll be there for you no matter how busy I am, alright?"

"Yes, Aunt Cass," they returned.

"And don't get yourselves into too much danger, especially you, Hiro. The 'wanderlust' excuse that you used to explain how you found Tadashi didn't work," she pointed it out.

"Wait, what?" Hiro's jaw dropped in surprise, "You mean you _know_ about…?!"

"Yes, I'm not dumb to not figure out that you and your friends disappear whenever an incident or crime is taking place in the city," she placed her hands on her hips. "Plus, I know something's odd when I find things that were not part of the house when I first bought it."

"When?! Wait, was it the floor where we hide our outfits and…um…accessories underneath?"

"A few days after Callaghan's arrest, and nope, more than that," Aunt Cass revealed, to which the boy groaned.

"Then why didn't you stop him? Wouldn't you be worried?" Tadashi proceeded to ask.

"Well…he's doing something that's good and technically not illegal for a change, and besides, if it makes him happy, why not?" She reasoned with a shrug.

"Aunt Cass…" Hiro looked up in surprise.

"So, does that mean we can get some food and rest here after we're back from kicking butts?" Fred shouted excitedly as the gang returned with the trays.

"I would say…yes," Aunt Cass nodded in approval.

"WOOHOO!" The man cheered aloud with the rest, giving high-fives to each other in the midst. Tadashi gave a soft smile in acknowledgement.

"So, shall we begin the party?" Aunt Cass began as she walked over to the bar counter to take out the drinks, "Just remember to watch your intake and keep the noise down because I don't want the neighbours to complain, alright?"

"Alright!" Everyone replied before she twisted open the bottle caps for a fizzy start.

* * *

"So, will you join us? I mean, as part of the Big Hero 6 team?" Hiro asked out of a sudden as the brothers lay lazily on a bed together in their room.

"To be honest…I don't know," Tadashi admitted. "It's dangerous and risky, but at the same time, seeing you guys doing this together, I really want to help out."

"Well, you can choose not to be out on the front then," Hiro said, "just like Heather."

"Who's that?"

"Fred's butler. He helps us out with replenishment and sometimes medical aid, if our injuries are serious enough, after we're back from the city."

"Oh…wait, medical aid? Serious injuries? What sort of injuries do you guys get?!" Tadashi quickly rose in panic.

"Usually bruises and cuts, the serious ones tend to be just sprains," Hiro told him rather nonchalantly. "Don't worry, they heal pretty fast—hey, what are you doing?!"

"Checking how serious they are," the man replied as he pulled back the boy's sleeves to reveal a few blueish black spots on his arms.

"Cut it out! I'm fine, really!" Hiro protested, swinging his arms away from his brother. He then gasped upon realising what he had done and quickly looked back at Tadashi, who seemed worried and somewhat hurt by his actions.

"I'm…I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way," he hurriedly apologised, "I just don't want you to be worried about me."

"But you're…why are you still doing this?" Tadashi fell back on the bed with a sigh, "I get that you wanted to find out who started the fire and stole your microbots, but that was already over."

"Well, that's because we were doing it…for you."

"What? Why?"

"We wanted to help you help people because you were unable to do so before you were 'gone'."

"Hiro…" Tadashi sat up and shifted himself to face the boy, "I really appreciate what you guys are doing for me, but there's got to be a lot of other and safer ways to help people. I don't want to lose you like Mom and Dad."

"And I don't want to lose _you_ either," Hiro replied, his voice cracking a little in fear. "That night still…scares me."

The room fell silent for a moment before Tadashi reached out to caress his head.

"I…can imagine that," he said, his lips arched slightly in remorse, "I'm sorry I had to put you through all that. I wished I could be there for you."

"You _were_ there, technically," Hiro pointed to the red box beside the bed.

"Baymax?" Tadashi turned his head around to look at it bemusedly. He then turned back to see Hiro rubbing one of his bruises and muttering an "Ow!" which triggered the inflation of the white robot.

"Hello," it greeted, stepping out from the box and blinking its eyes at the two brothers, "I had heard a sound of distress. What seems to be a problem?"

"Nothing, Baymax, I just want to see you," Hiro answered. "Can you show us Tadashi's videos?"

"Yes," it obliged before it flashed the videos on its body.

"How...did you see all of these?" Tadashi watched them with little incredulity.

"Baymax showed them to me," Hiro explained as he pushed himself off the bed and walked towards the robot. "After we got back from the island, I was really upset with everything. I felt so angry and betrayed after finding out it was Callaghan who started the fire and 'killed' you, and being stopped by the gang from getting revenge."

"But Baymax consoled me with those videos. He reminded me that he's a part of you. You gave him a part of yourself when you created him, and that part is your caring big brother side. That's why I feel so comfortable around him because when he cares about me, he reminds me of you."

"That's why…" Hiro slowly sat himself back on the bed beside Tadashi, "I was so sad and unwilling to leave him behind when we were in the portal because…I felt like I was leaving you behind. Can you imagine how happy I was when I found your chip in his hands? I—"

"Hiro…" Tadashi wrapped his arms around the boy, bringing him close to his chest as the latter began to tear up, "Why didn't you tell me that at the hospital? About how you had felt about Baymax?"

"Because you are back, knucklehead," Hiro sobbed. "You are back from that stupid fire, you are back from that stupid grave, and you are back from being trapped with that stupid Callaghan. I finally found you...and I don't want to lose you again."

"Hiro…I understand how you feel. I don't want to hurt you and Aunt Cass again, too," Tadashi tightened his hug before he suddenly felt a pair of large squishy arms enveloping them.

"It is alright to cry. In fact, crying helps to reduce stress, deal with problems and make you feel better," Baymax informed as it began to caress Hiro, "just like hugging."

"Baymax," Tadashi smiled softly in gratitude, "thank you for doing so much for the both of us. You are really a great help."

"There is no need to thank me," Baymax corrected him. "It is my duty to help both of you."

It then stared at Hiro, who started to compose himself, and asked, "How are you feeling now?"

"Much better," Hiro wiped away the tears on his face. "Can we continue to hug, Baymax? Tadashi, too."

"Alright," Tadashi and Baymax agreed at the same time, to which the boy grinned. Then, they continued to hug each other in silence for a while until Baymax finally said.

"My sensors indicate that your emotions are now stabilised. Are you satisfied with my care?"

"Yes, I am very satisfied with your care," Hiro affirmed. "Good night, Baymax. I'll see you soon."

The two brothers watched Baymax return and shrink back into the box, after which, Tadashi remarked aloud, "So, I've made such a great invention, haven't I?"

"Yes, you did," Hiro returned a knowing smile, "though you don't have to be cocky about it."

"Hey, it's the truth!" Tadashi laughed before he placed his hand on his brother's cheek, "But seriously, are you feeling a lot better now?"

"Yup," Hiro assured, "I'm fine."

"That's good to know," Tadashi embraced him again, "I'm glad to know that there's someone else other than Aunt Cass who's taking care of you while I was gone, too. I feel so much relieved now."

"Tadashi…I love you."

"I love you too, Hiro."

"Do you still want to join us? I mean, you haven't really answered the question yet," Hiro said. "It's alright if you choose not to, I won't force you to."

"I will," Tadashi immediately replied.

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah, I figured I could help you guys out behind the scenes," he told him. "At least, I can get to make sure that all of you are well and safe once you're back."

"Awesome," Hiro bumped fists with him. "Thanks, Dashi."

"It's alright, Hiro. Remember, rule number zero," Tadashi reminded him, to which Hiro chuckled and buried himself in the former.

"Anyway, I've wanted to ask you something," the man began after a moment, "I'm going to visit a place tomorrow, so do you want to come along?"

"Sure, to where?" Hiro lifted up his head to ask.

"To where Mom and Dad are."

-End of Epilogue Part Two-


	25. Epilogue Part 3: A Final Farewell

Epilogue Part Three

-A Final Farewell-

Hiro had hated that place. The memory of numerous gravestones lying in gloomy silence across acres of trimmed grass and watching his brother's coffin being lowered into the ground with silent anguish nearly two months ago had made him depressed and secretly dreading to go there the night before.

Yet, as he reluctantly walked through the iron gates, he was greeted by a much lighter scene. The grass, made greener by moisture; the flat marble slabs, whose surfaces gleamed in the sunlight; and the faint chirps of birds heard in a distance added to an oddly peaceful air in the cemetery. Beyond, the surrounding forest seemed alive, and the bay, drenched in hues of gold, sparkled brilliantly as the Sun set over its edge. The boy took a breath at this sight.

"What's wrong, Hiro?" He opened his eyes and turned his head around to find a concerned look on his brother's face.

"Nothing, just wondering which gravestone is theirs," he shrugged his thoughts away, to which Tadashi smiled.

"It's a little deep within the cemetery," the man said, gazing at the wide blue skies above them, "I haven't been there for a long time."

"How long?"

"Ten years, maybe. I stopped coming because I hated this place. It reminded me of how they died, and what I felt over their deaths."

"Do you still feel the same way?"

Tadashi paused to look at Hiro, who stared back at him with empathy. He then shifted his sight to the skies again and let out a breath.

"Just a little," he admitted, "it'll take some time to completely let go of them…and my regrets, too."

"Regrets?"

"Yeah, the ones that Aunt Cass talked about as my 'guilt' and 'fear'," he explained. "They were actually just regrets from not being able to help Mom and Dad that night and to be the person they wanted me to become. She talked about them that way, so that it makes sense to me. If not, I wouldn't bother to listen."

"True, you just shut me out when I only _mentioned_ about them. Talk about being rude," Hiro said dryly.

"Hey, I already apologised!" Tadashi raised his hands in resignation.

"I know, I was just saying," Hiro chuckled softly before he was stopped by Tadashi who placed his arm in front of him, as his eyes searched through rows of gravestones on the slope right of their path.

"They're there," he finally said after a few moments, pointing to the one that lay at the beginning of the last row. Following which, they proceeded towards them.

"In loving memory of Joshua Hamada and Hiroko Walter, a talented, devoted and kind couple whose untimely departure will forever be grieved by their loved ones," Hiro read almost quietly once they reached it.

Tadashi simply stood in silence, his right hand grasping a bouquet of roses tightly. Then, slowly, he knelt down in front of the gravestone and gently placed the bouquet on its surface.

_Hi, Mom and Dad, _he began within his heart. _Hiro and I are here to see you. I'm sorry that it's been a long time since we'd come here. I think Aunt Cass had already told you everything in our lives when she visits you every year, so I'll just tell you about those that happened recently..._

For the next five minutes, Hiro watched his brother maintain his position quietly and nearly without flinching. He wondered how life was like for Tadashi when Mom and Dad were around; in fact, he realised he had only heard about how they had reacted to his birth, and that the parents simply died in an accident and Aunt Cass adopted them as their only living relative.

_Maybe it was too painful for him to say_, he reasoned, looking down onto the ground.

He soon heard a subtle sniff and saw Tadashi wiping away his tears, to which he quickly walked towards him and give him a consoling pat on his back.

"Thanks, Hiro," Tadashi briefly looked up and mumbled, his eyes slightly red. He then turned his attention back to the gravestone with his clenched fists on his thighs.

_Now that I'd told you everything, _he resumed, _I wish you could see how much we'd grown, and the happy and sad times we had together. I hope both of you can finally rest in peace after knowing how well we are now._

He proceeded to kiss his own hand and touched the gravestone with it.

_I love you, and I miss you very much, Mom and Dad. We'll see you soon..._

Hiro cautiously observed his brother as the latter stood up and stretched himself, taking a deep breath in the midst.

"Shall we go?" Tadashi eventually asked.

"Sure," Hiro replied. They then began to make their way back towards the gravel path when the boy suddenly turned back to have a last look at them.

"Goodbye," he whispered a little unsurely, "Mom and Dad."

Tadashi was slightly surprised upon seeing this, though he quickly hid behind a tender smile and extended his hand towards Hiro.

"Let's go," he told him softly as a gentle breeze blew by.

Hiro nodded and grasped his warm hand firmly. After which, they walked away from the gravestone, leaving their shadows behind.

-End of Epilogue Part Three-

* * *

Author's Note: The story is now complete. Meanwhile, a friend of mine had read the story and said the dialogue needs reworking because it's a bit far off from their characters (reading Jane Austen before writing is a bad idea, after all). Also, grammar editing.

Otherwise, I'll start working on the prequel, and may write an extra for this story as well. Thank you very much for walking through this journey with Tadashi and Hiro, and I hope to see you again :)


	26. An Update

Hi all,

I'd like to let you know that I'm currently rewriting the story. **The rewritten version will be updated on this story**. You may check the progress on my profile.

The rewritten version will:

1) Expand on, and make more consistent and believable, the background and development of certain characters, particularly Tadashi, Callaghan, and Aunt Cass;

2) Introduce a smoother pace to the story (not rushed like the current version);

3) Improve dialogue between characters for more believability and consistency;

4) Improve grammar and correct mistakes that have been made unintentionally as a result of messy editing attempts; and

5) Expand on and make clearer the themes explored in the story.

Changes will include combination of existing chapters (e.g. Chapter 1 and 2 to be combined), and may include additional content for unaffected chapters and addition of new chapters to the story.

As much as I hate to inconvenience you, I like you to enjoy a much better read from the rewritten version. Thank you for your understanding, and have a Happy New Year!

Warmest Regards,

yeoweij


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